Israel Accuses UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees of Having Members Linked to Militant Groups in Gaza
Israel has intensified its criticism of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), accusing 450 of its employees of being members of militant groups in the Gaza Strip. However, Israel has not provided any evidence to support this claim. The accusation comes after major international funders withheld hundreds of millions of dollars from UNRWA due to Israel’s previous accusation that 12 of its employees participated in Hamas attacks on Israel. The attacks resulted in the death of 1,200 people and the hostage situation of 250 others in Gaza.
The UN envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, has stated that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Hamas committed rape, “sexualized torture,” and other cruel treatment of women during the attack. The allegations have sparked an Israeli invasion of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 30,000 Palestinians and the displacement of the majority of the territory’s population. Aid groups have described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe.
UNRWA, which employs around 13,000 people in Gaza, is the largest aid provider in the enclave. The recent accusations by Israel mark a significant escalation in the criticism against the agency. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, Israel’s chief military spokesperson, claimed that the 450 UNRWA employees who are allegedly militants are not a coincidence but rather a systematic issue. However, Hagari did not provide names or evidence to support this claim.
In response to Israel’s accusation, UNRWA released a statement accusing Israel of detaining several of its staff members and forcing them, through torture and ill-treatment, to provide false confessions about the agency’s links to Hamas and the October 7 attack. UNRWA expressed concern for the safety of its staff in Gaza and the implications on its operations in the region.
Following Israel’s initial accusation, UNRWA fired the accused employees, and several countries suspended funding worth approximately $450 million, nearly half of the agency’s budget for the year. Two UN investigations into Israel’s allegations were already underway, and the European Union announced that it would provide 50 million euros ($54 million) to UNRWA after the agency agreed to allow EU-appointed experts to audit its staff screening process for identifying extremists.
Israel also released a recording of a call, allegedly from an UNRWA teacher, describing their involvement in the October 7 attack. The military named the individuals in the call but did not provide evidence of their employment with UNRWA. These accusations come as Benny Gantz, a top member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet, meets with U.S. officials in Washington, and talks are underway in Egypt to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza before the start of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and Lebanon have escalated, leading to violence. An anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon into northern Israel killed a foreign worker and injured seven others. Hezbollah, the militant group in Lebanon, has not claimed responsibility for the attack. In response, an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed three paramedics from Hezbollah’s health arm. The clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have resulted in the deaths of over 200 Hezbollah fighters and at least 37 civilians in Lebanon, while around 20 people have been killed on the Israeli side, including civilians and soldiers.
The situation in the region remains tense, with ongoing conflicts and accusations between Israel, UNRWA, and militant groups. Efforts are being made to de-escalate tensions and negotiate a ceasefire before Ramadan begins next week.