UN Fires Nine UNRWA Personnel Over Alleged Involvement in Hamas Attack on Israel
The United Nations has laid off nine staff members from its agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) following an internal inquiry that found they may have been involved in the Hamas-led attack on Israel last October.
The UN Secretary-General’s office announced the dismissals in a statement on Monday, stating that the nine individuals, including seven previously fired, were found to have potentially played a role in the attack.
The decision comes after the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) launched a probe into the allegations from Israel in January. Iraeli intelligence documents obtained by Western news outlets claimed that 12 UNRWA employees had taken part in the offensive, including seven who allegedly entered Israeli territory and two who participated in abductions.
While the OIOS could not independently verify the evidence provided by Israel, their investigation, which included review of internal UNRWA information like staff records and communication data, concluded that there was sufficient evidence to point to the involvement of nine fired staffers.
The dismissals follow a period of significant tension between Israel and the UN, stemming from the October 7 attack, which led to the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of around 250 others. The accusations against UNRWA staff led major donor countries, including the United States, to suspend funding to the agency.
The US, the largest funder of UNRWA, has temporarily halted funding while reviewing the allegations. However, other donor nations have since resumed funding.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini denounced the October 7 attack, stating that the agency’s priority remains providing essential services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the wider region. He emphasized that the agency cannot tolerate any involvement of its staff in such attacks.
According to investigation conclusions, evidence was insufficient to justify action against nine other individuals, while one case lacked any evidence of involvement.
