An investigation that has been ongoing for months has concluded that “indications received indicate that UNRWA staff may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023,” the world organization said.
Involved in terrorist acts
When asked, a UN spokesman admitted that Israel’s allegations could not be confirmed with absolute certainty by the United Nations, but that the evidence justified the dismissals. The spokesman confirmed that this means that the UN believes there is a high or very high probability that its employees were involved in the devastating terrorist acts. Details on the nature of the involvement were not initially given. In ten other cases, however, the evidence was not sufficient to terminate the employment relationships.
Investigation found need for improvement
UNRWA hit the headlines in January when Israel claimed that 12 staff members were involved in the devastating terrorist acts carried out by the Islamist Hamas on October 7 – later, allegations were made against other people. Some of the main donors temporarily suspended their payments. Another investigation, which looked at the extent to which UNRWA was meeting its neutrality requirements, confirmed that the organization had some “robust” mechanisms in place, but also saw room for improvement.
