A watchdog group has accused employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) of stealing and selling off humanitarian aid materials in Gaza. The reports cite UNRWA staff stealing aid and selling it for profit, with those who report it facing retaliation. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philipe Lazzarini has been accused of ignoring serious problems within the agency’s aid distribution management. Although Lazzarini has called for countries to increase direct cash assistance to Gazans, the watchdog group claims that there is rampant theft within UNRWA.
The chatroom in which these reports are being shared is also filled with anti-Semitic slurs and posts celebrating Iran’s attacks on Israel. The chatroom is run by a former UNRWA employee who was removed from the organization in 2016 after publicly criticizing the agency for hiding a map that denied the existence of Israel. Despite his dismissal, this individual is still considered an important figure within the organization and has received reports of theft from frustrated UNRWA staff members. Some employees have confided in the former employee in hopes of getting the attention of senior UNRWA officials.
The reports from the chatroom include complaints from a UNRWA employee working at a shelter in Gaza, who claimed that aid meant for displaced people was being distributed at night and sold in front of their eyes. There were allegations of theft of diapers and diesel fuel, as well as instances where employees who tried to prevent theft were transferred or faced false charges. It was reported that some UNRWA employees were hoarding aid in their houses and selling food meant for schools to merchants.
Members of the chatroom have shared various instances of theft and corruption within UNRWA, including employees stealing aid from shelters and district officials going through aid cartons and stealing items to sell to the poor. There have been allegations of widespread corruption and theft within the organization, with one member stating that some employees were stealing on a daily basis as if it were a prize. There have been heated debates within the chatroom regarding access to medicine cabinets and accusations of employees not giving adequate aid to those in need.
The watchdog group, UN Watch, has raised concerns about the inaction and complicity of senior UNRWA staff in addressing the reported theft and corruption within the organization. Despite accusations of masquerading as a relief organization while supporting Hamas attacks on Israel, UNRWA has called for increased direct cash assistance to Gazans. The reports coming from the chatroom highlight the challenges faced by UNRWA employees and those receiving aid in Gaza, as well as the ongoing allegations of theft and corruption within the organization.
