The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has accused Israel of making “unsubstantiated claims” that the agency has links to the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X that the allegations “have put the lives of UNRWA staff at serious risk and harmed the reputation of the Agency.”
He said that, despite requests to do so, the Israeli government had not “shared any sufficient evidence, to back up these very serious claims against the Agency and its personnel.”
Lazzarini called on Israel to stop its “unfounded dis-information campaign against the agency” and resume cooperation with UNRWA, which has been suspended since January.
In mid-2024, a UN spokesman said the organization considers it highly likely that UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023. The UN also ended its cooperation with nine employees because of the allegations.
Israel has long accused the aid agency of being infiltrated by Hamas.
According to an Israeli government spokesman, hostages were hidden in UNRWA facilities in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government also released a video allegedly showing an UNRWA social worker carrying the body of an Israeli into a car on October 7, 2023, to transport it to the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli government says details of around 100 UNRWA employees who are alleged to be Hamas members were passed on to the UN.
Israel’s parliament imposed a ban on UNRWA operations on Israeli territory, which came into force at the end of January. Another law prohibits Israeli authorities from having any contact with UNRWA.
Independent experts have investigated the Israeli allegations against 12 UNRWA employees on behalf of the relief agency. They said that although there were “robust” mechanisms in place to ensure neutrality, there was also room for improvement.
DJ Kamal Mustafa
I’m DJ Kamal Mustafa, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of EMEA Tribune, a digital news platform that focuses on critical stories from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Pakistan. With a deep passion for investigative journalism, I’ve built a reputation for delivering exclusive, thought-provoking reports that highlight the region’s most pressing issues.
I’ve been a journalist for over 10 years, and I’m currently associated with EMEA Tribune, ARY News, Daily Times, Samaa TV, Minute Mirror, and many other media outlets. Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to uncovering the truth and providing valuable insights that inform and engage the public.
