UN investigation suggests involvement of UNRWA employees in Oct. 7 Hamas attack

An investigation by the United Nations has revealed that nine employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) may have been involved in the October 2023 attack on Israel.

The investigation followed allegations that 19 UNRWA employees could be linked to the incident, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq stated the evidence against ten of the accused employees was insufficient to confirm their involvement in the attack. However, evidence indicated that nine others might have been connected to the assault.

"I have decided that in the case of these nine staff members, they cannot work for UNRWA. Their contracts will be terminated in the interest of the agency," Haq announced.

In response to these allegations, the US, UK, and Germany suspended funding to UNRWA in January, citing suspected links between the agency's staff and Hamas. UNRWA Commissioner General Philip Lazzarini subsequently ordered the dismissal of several suspects. The agency later accused Israeli authorities of torturing its staff to extract false confessions.