NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that an investigation by the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services was “immediately activated,” following allegations that 12 staff members of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency were involved in the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini “immediately identified and terminated” nine of the implicated people, Guterres said. One person is confirmed dead, and the identities of two other people are “being clarified,” according to the secretary-general.
Any U.N. employee found to have been involved with acts of terror will be held accountable, Guterres said, “including through criminal prosecution.”
He said the U.N. “is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute individuals in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation.”
On January 17, UNRWA had announced a full, independent review of the organization, Guterres said.
Guterres also appealed to the countries that have suspended their UNRWA funding, following the allegations about UNRWA staff, to continue their contributions for the 2 million civilians in Gaza who depend on UNRWA for their daily survival and for the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, “many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called Saturday for UNRWA to be “replaced with agencies dedicated to genuine peace and development.”
In a social media post, Katz urged that countries follow the example of the United States, Australia, Canada, Britain, Italy and Finland in pausing UNRWA funding.
So far, nine countries have paused funding to the agency.
UNRWA chief Lazzarini said it would be “immensely irresponsible” to sanction the agency and the community it serves at such a desperate time for Palestinians, especially after the agency swiftly fired the “small group” of staffers.
The 13,000-strong agency, which relies almost entirely on countries’ contributions, said it now runs shelters for upwards of 1 million people, and its lifeline “can collapse anytime now.”
On X, formerly Twitter, Lazzarini posted about countries withholding their funds, “I am shocked such decisions are taken based on alleged behavior of a few individuals and as the war continues, needs are deepening & famine looms.”
Set up to help refugees of the 1948 war at Israel’s founding, UNRWA provides education, health and aid services to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
It helps about two-thirds of Gaza’s 2.3 million population and has played a crucial aid role during the current war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defiantly declared Saturday that Israel will “decide and act according to what is required for [its] security,” in response to the International Court of Justice rebuke of Israel regarding the extent of death and destruction in Gaza.
(VOA)
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