The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said it had sacked several employees accused by Israel of involvement in Hamas’s Oct 7 attack, prompting the United States to suspend critical funding.
The head of the agency, Philippe Lazzarini, vowed to hold “accountable, including through criminal prosecution” any UNRWA employee found to have taken part in acts of terror.
The US State Department said in a statement that it was “extremely troubled” by the allegations against the agency, UNRWA, and has “temporarily paused additional funding … while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them”.
Twelve employees “may have been involved”, it added.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the head of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, “to emphasise the necessity of a thorough and swift investigation of this matter”, the statement said.
The statement underlined that “UNRWA plays a critical role in providing lifesaving assistance to Palestinians, including essential food, medicine, shelter, and other vital humanitarian support”.
“Their work has saved lives, and UNRWA must address these allegations and take any appropriate corrective measures, including reviewing its existing policies and procedures.”
Israel’s foreign ministry said Friday it was “expecting an urgent investigation of UNRWA on the involvement of its employees in the terror attack of Oct 7”.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said the sackings proved long-standing claims that “UNRWA employees are collaborators of the terrorist organisation Hamas”.
