January 26, 2024, 17:03 GMT
Updated 1 hour ago
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The USA, Germany and the EU are among UNRWA's largest donors
The US is cutting off funding to the UN agency for the Palestinians, UNRWA, over allegations of staff involvement in the October 7 Hamas attacks.
UNRWA says it has released several people and ordered an investigation into information provided by Israel.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “appalled by this news” and called for a swift investigation.
In the unprecedented attack, Hamas killed 1,300 people, mostly civilians.
Another 250 people were taken hostage. The events sparked Israeli retaliatory attacks on Hamas in Gaza, killing more than 26,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
In announcing its decision to temporarily suspend funding, the US State Department said it was “extremely disturbed” by allegations of the involvement of UN staff in the attacks.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said on Friday that Israel had provided his organization with “information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7.”
He said UNRWA had investigated and severed relations with a number of staff.
An adviser to the Israeli prime minister told the BBC that the October 7 Hamas attacks “involved people who are on the run.” [UNRWA] Wages”.
Mark Regev said there was information indicating that teachers at UNRWA schools “openly celebrated” the October 7 attacks.
He also referred to an Israeli hostage who, upon being released, said she had been “held in the house of someone who worked for UNRWA.”
“You have a union that is controlled by Hamas and I think it is high time for the UN to investigate these links between UNRWA and Hamas,” he added.
UN chief Antonio Guterres said he had asked Mr Lazzarini to “expeditiously” investigate this matter.
He added that the investigation must ensure that any UNRWA staff member “demonstrated to have participated in or facilitated the October 7 attack” is dismissed and referred for possible criminal prosecution.
Washington said it welcomed Mr. Guterres' call for a “thorough and rapid investigation.”
The EU also said in a statement it was “extremely concerned” about the allegations and would consider further steps “based on the outcome of the full and comprehensive investigation.”
The USA, Germany and the EU are among UNRWA's largest donors.
The agency provides education, health care and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
But it says it is struggling to provide humanitarian assistance to many of the estimated 1.7 million people – nearly three-quarters of the population – displaced by 12 weeks of fighting.
Several UN facilities where Gazans had sought refuge were hit by Israeli airstrikes.