A United Nations internal investigation has found that nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on 7 October last year.
The investigation was conducted by the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services following allegations raised by Israel in January against 19 UNRWA staff members.
A United Nations spokesperson said today that in one of the 19 cases, no evidence was obtained by OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member’s involvement, while in nine other cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient to support the staff members’ involvement.
"For nine people, the evidence was sufficient to conclude that they may have been involved in the seventh of October attacks," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson of the UN Secretary General told reporters.
The employment of the individuals will be terminated, the spokesperson confirmed.
"For us, any participation in the attacks is a tremendous betrayal of the sort of work that we are supposed to be doing on behalf of the Palestinian people," Mr Haq said.
The allegations against UNRWA staff members prompted many UN members states to halt donations to the agency. Several countries have since resumed payments.
The investigation drew on evidence provided by the Israeli authorities which the UN said it could not independently corroborate as it did not have direct access to the information. The investigation also examined internal UNRWA communications and staff records.
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Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, said "the evidence - if authenticated and corroborated - could indicate that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the attacks of 7 October."
"I have decided that in the case of these remaining nine staff members, they cannot work for UNRWA.
All contracts of these staff members will be terminated in the interest of the Agency," he said.
UNRWA employs nearly 30,000 staff across the Middle East, including 13,000 in Gaza.
Israel's army said UNRWA had hit a "new level of low".
"Your 'relief' agency has officially stooped to a new level of low, and it is time that the world sees your true face," Lieutenant-Colonel Nadav Shoshani, the army's international spokesperson, said on X.
