The United Nations (U.N.) has been investigating Israeli accusations that 12 staff members from the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA took part in Hamas attacks on October 7th. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric announced that one case has been closed due to a lack of evidence from Israel, and three cases have been suspended as Israel’s provided information is insufficient for further investigation. The U.N. is exploring administrative action for the closed case and considering options for the suspended cases, while the inquiry into the remaining eight cases continues. Further cases were raised by the Israeli government in March and April, with six investigations still ongoing.
UNRWA, which provides education, health, and aid to millions of Palestinians in various countries, plays a significant role in humanitarian response in Gaza. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has pledged to act on any new information from Israel related to alleged Hamas infiltration among UNRWA workers. The accusations became public in January, leading to the firing of some staff members by UNRWA and subsequent investigations by the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and a separate U.N. review led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna.
Colonna’s report, released on Monday, highlighted that UNRWA has a robust neutrality framework but still faces challenges in ensuring neutrality. Israel’s allegations against the UNRWA staff members have led 16 states to pause or suspend funding of $450 million to the agency, impacting its ability to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. While 10 countries have resumed funding, prominent donors, including the United States, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, and Lithuania, have not committed to resumed funding. UNRWA stated that it has sufficient funding to sustain operations until June.
Following the U.S. decision to pause funding, the U.S. Congress further suspended contributions to UNRWA until March 2025. Israel claims that about 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage in the October 7th attacks, while Gaza health authorities report significantly higher casualties, with over 34,000 people killed in Israel’s offensive in the enclave since then. The implications of the investigations and funding suspensions have raised concerns about UNRWA’s ability to continue its vital humanitarian work in the region and address the ongoing crisis in Gaza. UNRWA and U.N. officials are closely monitoring the situation and working to address the challenges and allegations raised by Israel.
