United Nations aid agency workers accused of involvement in Hamas' October 7 terror attack on Israel included some who delivered rocket-propelled grenades – as well as others who actively killed and kidnapped Israelis, as seen in a devastating one Information dossier submitted to the organization US.
At least 10 of the 12 released last week by the United Nations Palestinian Relief Agency (UNRWA) were active members of Hamas, while another was affiliated with Islamic Jihad, according to the dossier obtained by The New York Times.
Israeli officials said they tracked the movements of U.N. aid workers on the day of the attack using phone records and phone calls.
In addition to using the agency as a front, the terrorists also worked as terrorists during the day and even as teachers and other school employees, according to the dossier, which gave names of the employees that were not published by the Times.
They found that at least one was asked via text message to bring rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) that he kept in his home, the dossier said.
Israeli officials have accused a dozen UNRWA workers of involvement in the October 7 terror attack. HAITHAM IMAD/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
According to Israeli information, a social worker also distributed ammunition, coordinated vehicles and took the body of a dead Israeli soldier to Gaza
A school counselor from southern Gaza teamed up with his son to kidnap a woman who became one of more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas terrorists that day, according to the dossier.
Another was also described as taking part in a massacre at a kibbutz in which nearly 100 people were slaughtered.
In total, according to Israeli officials, a dozen employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine took an active part in the terrorist attack – prompting the agency to announce Friday that it had fired nine of the surviving employees while it continues to investigate last for.
According to the agency, two more people have now died.
Ten of the UN aid workers are said to be active members of the terrorist group.
The State Department said the US immediately cut funding to the organization in the wake of the allegations – marking a significant departure from the Biden administration's strong support for UNRWA.
“The United States is extremely disturbed by allegations that 12 UNRWA personnel may have been involved in the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7,” the ministry statement said.
Other countries, including Canada, Italy, Australia, the United Kingdom and Finland, have since announced they would suspend any additional aid to the agency.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also said the 27 members would seek to “assess further steps and draw lessons from the results of the full and comprehensive investigation.”
The terrorists are said to have worked during the day as math and Arabic teachers, other school employees, social workers and camp managers. X/@XTrendHunter
But Hamas has criticized Israeli “threats” against UNRWA and called on the UN and other international groups “not to give in to blackmail threats”.
The Palestinian Authority also calls on countries to reverse the suspension of their funding and calls for “maximum support for this international organization and not the cessation of support and assistance to it.”
And over the weekend, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini argued: “It would be extremely irresponsible to sanction an organization and an entire community it serves over allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and…” Political Crises in the region.
The Palestinian Authority is urging countries to reverse their suspension of funding to the UN group, calling for “maximum support for this international organization and no cessation of support and assistance to it.” AP
“The lives of the people of Gaza depend on this support, as does regional stability.”
Johann Soufi, a lawyer and former director of UNRWA's legal office in Gaza, also said that the organization “has always had a zero-tolerance policy towards violence and incitement to hatred.”
“Sanctioning UNRWA, which is barely keeping the entire population of Gaza alive, because of the alleged responsibility of a few employees amounts to collective punishment of the people of Gaza, who live in catastrophic humanitarian conditions.”