Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) of being controlled by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. This accusation came after an Israeli air strike hit the UNRWA al-Jaouni school in a Gaza refugee camp. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the school was not operational and was being used as a Hamas command center. Danon listed the names of Hamas terrorists affiliated with UNRWA and called for the organization to be shut down.
UNRWA was forced to fire nine employees last month due to their alleged involvement in Hamas’s massacre of nearly 1,200 people on October 7. A spokesperson for UNRWA claimed that they had not been officially requested by Israeli authorities for a list of staff killed in the attack on the school, and that they only learned about allegations in the media after the fact. Schools in Gaza have not been in session since Israel’s war on Hamas following the October 7 massacre.
The IDF responded to UNRWA’s claims by stating that it is clear in Gaza who belongs to which group, and accused UNRWA of using diversion tactics to avoid discussing the issue of terrorists within the organization. Hillel Neuer, executive director of U.N. Watch, criticized UNRWA for its ties to Hamas and called for foreign governments to stop funding the agency. Neuer highlighted instances of UNRWA staff celebrating terrorist attacks and identified heads of the UNRWA teachers’ union as senior officials within Hamas.
Neuer also called attention to the Swiss parliament’s decision to suspend funding to UNRWA, stating that it is time for other western states to follow suit. UNRWA’s spokesperson criticized the Swiss decision, claiming that the agency is crucial for providing humanitarian aid in Gaza. She argued that by suspending funding to UNRWA, parliamentarians were neglecting their obligation to support Palestinians under occupation. The U.S. had previously suspended funding to UNRWA due to the involvement of some employees in the October 7 massacre, but President Biden had reinstated aid upon assuming office.
Overall, the controversy surrounding UNRWA has escalated with accusations of the organization’s ties to Hamas terrorists and its role in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Calls for UNRWA to be shut down and funding to be suspended have increased, as concerns over the agency’s complicity with terrorist activities grow. The issue of humanitarian aid in Gaza remains contentious, with conflicting perspectives on the best approach to supporting Palestinians in the region.
