U.N. fires additional staffers after investigation finds potential involvement in Oct. 7 attack on Israel
JERUSALEM — The U.N. said Monday that it fired additional staff members from its agency for Palestinian refugees, bringing the total to nine employees terminated, after an internal investigation found they may have been involved in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack against Israel.
The U.N. secretary-general’s office announced the move in a brief statement to journalists about the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, known as UNRWA. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the secretary-general did not elaborate on the UNRWA staffers’ likely role in the attack or on the evidence that prompted its decision.
The nine fired included some staffers who previously had been fired over the claims, Haq said, but he did not clarify how many. The agency previously fired seven employees over the allegations.
The U.N.’s internal watchdog has been investigating the agency since Israel in January accused 12 UNRWA staffers of being involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which militants killed 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others.
Israel’s allegations that 12 employees of a U.N. agency were involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack have led several Western countries to cut off funding.
Israel’s allegations initially led top donor countries to suspend their funding for UNRWA. That caused a cash crunch of about $450 million dollars. Since then, all donor countries except for the U.S. have decided to resume funding.
The U.N. watchdog charged with investigating UNRWA, the Office of Internal Oversight Services, said it drew on evidence provided by Israel in discussions with Israeli authorities. It said it could not independently corroborate that evidence because it did not have direct access to it. The investigators also reviewed internal UNRWA information, including staff records, email and other communications data.
It said it found sufficient evidence pointing to nine employees’ potential involvement in the Oct. 7 attack that launched the latest Israel-Hamas war.
“I have decided that in the case of these remaining nine staff members, they cannot work for UNRWA,” agency head Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.
“The agency’s priority is to continue lifesaving and critical services for Palestine refugees in Gaza and across the region, especially in the face of the ongoing war, the instability and risk of regional escalation,” said Lazzarini, who said he condemned the Oct. 7 attack.
In nine other cases, the evidence was insufficient, and in one other case there was no evidence pointing to involvement.
UNRWA has been the main agency distributing aid to Palestinians in Gaza during the nearly 10-month-old war there, which Gaza Health officials say has killed more than 39,600 people and unleashed a mass humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel has long accused UNRWA of collaborating with Hamas and turning a blind eye to the militant group’s activities. Throughout the war, it has released images of tunnels built next to UNRWA facilities. During the war, the feud has escalated, with far-right protests setting portions of the agency’s facility in Jerusalem ablaze and calling for the agency’s shutdown.
UNRWA denies collaborating with Hamas. The agency says that more than 200 UNRWA staffers have been killed, and 190 of the agency’s installations have been damaged during the war — including U.N.-run schools that have been turned into shelters for displaced Palestinians.
Associated Press writer Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP reporter Jade Lozada contributed reporting from the United Nations.
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