U.N. Relief Worker Caught on Video Removing the Body of Israeli Man in Southern Israel: Israel’s Claims Lead to Funding Suspension for UNRWA

A U.N. relief worker allegedly involved in the October 7 attacks on southern Israel’s Kibbutz Beeri has been captured on video. Israeli authorities released information indicating that the worker removed the body of an Israeli man who had been shot at the Kibbutz and drove off with it. These explosive allegations have caused the United Nations (UN) to face a crisis, with various nations, including the United States, suspending funding for the relief agency. In this article, we explore the details revealed in the video footage and the resulting consequences.

Last month, Israel informed the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that Faisal Ali Musalam Naami, a 45-year-old relief worker, and 11 other employees of the agency were either involved in or provided support to the Hamas-led assault on Israel. Israel claims that Hamas and allied gunmen killed 1,200 Israelis and took hostages in Gaza. Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, presented the video footage during a news conference, publicly identifying the accused relief workers and challenging the legitimacy of UNRWA.

The CCTV footage, found independently by The Washington Post, shows Naami, identified by Israeli authorities, removing the body of an Israeli man from the scene. The video provides a fuller picture of the incident, complementing the brief account in the public dossier. Naami, allegedly a member of a Hamas brigade in his hometown, was found to drive a Nissan Terrano II, matching the vehicle seen in the footage. The footage shows Naami and another man loading the body into the car before driving away. The exact reasons and destination remain unknown.

Due to the accusations against UNRWA workers, several nations, including the largest donor, the United States, have suspended funding for the relief agency. The agency’s operations in Gaza and the wider Middle East are now under threat. Israeli officials have long complained about the agency’s close ties to Hamas, an accusation UNRWA continues to deny. The allegations against aid workers have endangered aid delivery in Gaza, where more than 1 million people now seek shelter in UNRWA facilities.

Since the October 7 attacks, UNRWA’s schools and medical facilities have been closed and converted into shelters housing more than 1 million people. With nearly four months of war devastating Gaza, the allegations of aid workers’ involvement have added to the humanitarian crisis. So far, more than 28,000 people have been killed, and more than 68,000 have been injured in the ongoing conflict. UNRWA’s vital role in providing assistance to Gaza’s 2.2 million people now hangs in the balance.

Following the allegations, UNRWA launched an internal review and dismissed 10 of the accused workers, while two others were already deceased. The United States and other funding nations have indicated a potential resumption of aid pending the review’s findings. The Israeli army’s recent discoveries of an alleged Hamas server complex under UNRWA headquarters and a Hamas leader’s hideout in a tunnel beneath Gaza further complicate the situation.

The video evidence of a U.N. relief worker’s alleged involvement in the Gaza attacks has plunged the United Nations into a crisis. The allegations have prompted nations to suspend funding for UNRWA, crippling its operations in the region. As the investigation unfolds, the consequences for the agency’s legitimacy and the innocent victims of the Gaza crisis hang in the balance.