UNRWA Dismisses Employees Linked to October 7 Attacks

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has recently decided to terminate the contracts of nine of its employees who may have had links to the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7. In a statement released on August 5, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, explained that the agency’s investigation into these employees was conducted by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the UN’s internal watchdog.

Lazzarini pointed out that the evidence collected could indicate that these staff members might have been involved in the troubling events of that day. He clarified, however, that this does not mean they are guilty. While this investigation examined nineteen employees in total, no evidence was found against ten others previously accused.

Following this announcement, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, criticized the investigation process, labeling it as a “disgrace.” He mentioned that despite providing the UN with detailed information about over 100 employees suspected of having ties to Hamas, they only investigated a small number.

Experts believe that this issue runs deeper than just nine employees. One senior advisor pointed out that there is widespread affiliation between UNRWA staff and Hamas, asserting that merely dismissing a few individuals does little to address the root problem within the agency.

Additionally, findings from an intelligence analysis revealed alarming statistics regarding UNRWA employees in Gaza. Out of approximately 12,000 employees, around 440 were reported to be actively participating in Hamas’s military operations, while many others had supportive connections with the group.

In response to the situation, the UN has refrained from labeling Hamas as a terrorist organization, with Martin Griffiths, the UN’s point person for humanitarian affairs, calling it a political movement instead. This stance has raised eyebrows and further fueled the debate over UNRWA’s operations and affiliations.