The U.N. introduced on Monday that it fired 9 workers members from its company for Palestinian refugees, often called UNRWA, after an inner investigation discovered they might have been concerned within the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, assault in opposition to Israel.
John Minchillo/AP
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John Minchillo/AP
JERUSALEM — The United Nations stated Monday it has fired further workers members from its company for Palestinian refugees after an inner investigation discovered they might have been concerned within the Hamas-led Oct. 7 assault in opposition to Israel.
The U.N. secretary-general’s workplace introduced the transfer in a quick assertion to journalists. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the secretary-general, didn’t elaborate on the UNRWA staffers’ seemingly position within the assault or on the proof that prompted its determination.
UNRWA beforehand fired 12 staffers and put seven staffers on administrative go away with out pay over the claims. The group of 9 staffers the U.N. introduced it had fired Monday consists of some from every group, stated Juliette Touma, communications director for UNRWA.
The U.N. didn’t make clear what number of have now been fired from the company in whole.
The U.N.’s inner watchdog has been investigating the company since Israel in January accused 12 UNRWA staffers of being concerned within the Oct. 7 assault on Israel, by which militants killed 1,200 individuals and kidnapped some 250 others.
Israel’s allegations initially led high donor nations to droop their funding for UNRWA. That brought about a money crunch of about $450 million {dollars}. Since then, all donor nations apart from the U.S. have determined to renew funding.
Oren Marmorstein, the spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of International Affairs, wrote on X following the announcement of the firings that Israel was once more calling for donor nations to droop funding “as the funds may go to terrorist elements.”
“UNRWA is part of the problem and not part of the solution, and anyone who seeks the best interests of Israel, the Gaza Strip and the region should act to replace UNWRA’s activities with other agencies,” he wrote.
The U.N. watchdog charged with investigating UNRWA, known as the Workplace of Inner Oversight Companies, stated it drew on proof supplied by Israel in discussions with Israeli authorities. It stated it couldn’t independently corroborate that proof because it didn’t have direct entry to it. The investigators additionally reviewed inner UNRWA data, together with workers data, e-mail and different communications information.
It stated it discovered ample proof pointing to 9 workers’ potential involvement within the Oct. 7 assault.
An Israeli official with data of the discussions, who requested anonymity as a result of he was not approved to transient the media, stated that Israeli authorities spent hours on every accused UNRWA staffer when briefing U.N. investigators on their findings.
“I have decided that in the case of these remaining nine staff members, they cannot work for UNRWA,” the company’s head Philippe Lazzarini stated in an announcement.
“The agency’s priority is to continue lifesaving and critical services for Palestine refugees in Gaza and across the region, especially in the face of the ongoing war, the instability and risk of regional escalation,” stated Lazzarini, who additionally stated he condemned the Oct. 7 assault.
In 9 different circumstances, the proof was inadequate, and in a single different case there was no proof pointing to involvement.
UNRWA has been the primary company distributing assist to Palestinians in Gaza through the 10-month outdated warfare there, which Gaza Well being officers say has killed over 39,600 individuals and unleashed a mass humanitarian disaster.
Israel has escalated requires the company’s shutdown because the warfare started. It has lengthy accused UNRWA of collaborating with Hamas and turning a blind eye to the militant group’s actions. All through the warfare, it has launched photographs of tunnels constructed subsequent to UNRWA amenities and charged that many extra UNRWA staffers than those that have been fired are members of militant teams.
Throughout the warfare, far-right protesters demonstrating in opposition to the company have set parts of the its facility in Jerusalem ablaze.
UNRWA denies collaborating with Hamas. The company says that greater than 200 UNRWA staffers have been killed, and 190 of the company’s installations have been broken through the warfare — together with U.N.-run colleges which were was shelters for displaced Palestinians.
