In a recent development, the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) announced the dismissal of several employees accused by Israel of being involved in the October 7 attack orchestrated by Hamas. In response, the United States has temporarily suspended critical funding to the agency, pending a review of the claims and the UN’s proposed plan to address concerns.
UNRWA’s head, Philippe Lazzarini, has pledged to hold accountable any employee found to have participated in acts of terror, stating that criminal prosecution could be pursued. This move prompted UN chief Antonio Guterres to promise an urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA.
Israel, which has long claimed that UNRWA employees collaborate with Hamas, welcomed the firings and called for an immediate investigation into the agency’s involvement in the October 7 attack. The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, emphasized that the sackings validated their allegations.
Tensions between Israel and UNRWA escalated further when the agency reported that tank shelling hit a shelter for displaced people in Gaza, resulting in the death of 13 people. The Israeli army is investigating the incident, considering the possibility that it was a response to Hamas fire. Lazzarini condemned the shelling as a “blatant disregard of basic rules of war,” highlighting that the shelter was clearly marked as a UN facility.
Adding to UNRWA’s challenges is its ongoing struggle to meet funding requirements. Despite receiving significant support from the Biden administration, the agency has faced chronic budget shortfalls, exacerbated by former President Trump’s decision to cut support in 2018, branding UNRWA as “irredeemably flawed.”
The October 7 Hamas attack, described as unprecedented, resulted in approximately 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians. The militants also seized around 250 hostages, with some bodies still in Gaza. Since then, over 26,000 Palestinians, predominantly women, children, and adolescents, have lost their lives in Israeli bombardments and ground offensives, according to the Hamas government’s health ministry.
The situation remains tense as the international community watches closely, with the UNRWA facing scrutiny, the US funding under review, and ongoing conflict dynamics in the region.
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