The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, claims to have been “horrified” to learn of the alleged involvement of at least thirteen employees of the UN agency for Palestine, known as UNRWA, in the Hamas attack against Israel last October 7. His feeling is more than justified when knowing the accusations made against some of those officials who were there to provide humanitarian aid and betrayed that mission.
According to the report compiled by the Israeli intelligence services, of which details are already known, one of the UNRWA workers was a teacher who offered to host Israeli hostages in his home or in schools with the collaboration of more teachers. Another employee of the agency kidnapped a woman, another provided ammunition to the terrorist group and another participated in the attack on a kibbutz in which 97 people were massacred.
All of these cases are included in a report provided by Israel to the United States government in which the accusations are detailed. According to these documents, UNRWA workers played a relevant role in the action almost three months ago.
While waiting to conclude the urgent investigation that has been opened, Guterres recalled that on Friday nine of the thirteen supposedly involved were fired. There are two others missing and another died. This accusation has caused sixteen countries, led by the United States, including France, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Austria, Italy and Canada, all of which have great weight in the organization, to announce that they have suspended their financial contributions to the agency that provides key aid to the Palestinians. Spain assured this Monday that it plans to continue contributing.
The Secretary General himself warned on Sunday that, if these UN member states do not reconsider their position, UNRWA will not be able to meet the requirements in February to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza, where the situation is at its limit. More than 26,000 people have died in the strip in the retaliation operation launched by Israel to annihilate the radicals and there are nearly two million displaced. Most Palestinians are hungry, according to the UN.
Guterres has implored these countries to reconsider their position in this situation because the Israeli siege prevents the entry of medicines or foodstuffs, including the most basic ones. Many voices have been raised against what they consider “collective punishment.” Those responsible for the agency stressed that the situation is “extremely desperate.” The US and the UK alone contribute $5.6 million to Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.
The secretary general insisted this Monday on a “quick and efficient resolution of the investigations as soon as possible” and his spokesman announced that this Tuesday he will meet with the donors.
Although Biden administration officials acknowledged in statements to ‘The New York Times’, which reported the existence of the dossier, that they have yet to ratify the information contained in that document, they found that the allegations were sufficiently substantiated to justify interrupting the financial contribution.
The Israeli espionage report includes the thirteen names of those allegedly involved in the matter and their occupations. Of these, ten would be members of Hamas and another would be affiliated with another group (Islamic Jihad). Seven of the defendants were teachers and two others worked in schools in different positions.
This document describes the movements of six of the defendants during October 7 based on their phone records. There were calls tapped by Israeli intelligence purportedly discussing his involvement in the Hamas attack.
In three text messages they were told to report to the meeting points that day and one was ordered to bring the grenades and the mortar launcher that he was hiding in his home.
The most detailed accusation refers to the head of a school in Khan Younis, south of Gaza, who is accused of kidnapping a woman in Israel with his son.
The accusations made by Israel are the tip of the iceberg of a friction with UNRWA that has lasted for decades. Since 1949, the agency has cared for Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes by wars that arose as a result of the creation of the state of Israel.
