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Trucks from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) carrying fuel arrive on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border with Gaza on November 22, 2023. (Khalid Dessouki/AFP/Getty Images)

The main UN agency in Gaza is in crisis after Israel accused some of its members of involvement in the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) fired several staff in the wake of the allegations, which have not been made public. The United States and several other countries have also suspended funding to the organization, which employs about 13,000 people in Gaza, as the humanitarian crisis grows in the besieged Palestinian territory.

We know this.

What is UNRWA?

UNRWA was established by the United Nations to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced Palestinians after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

The organization defines Palestinian refugees as “any person whose place of residence was Palestine during the period from June 1, 1946 to May 15, 1948, and who lost both his home and livelihood as a result of the 1948 war”.

People who fit that definition now number 5.9 million. Israel rejected the possibility of allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes, arguing that the move would change the Jewish character of the country.

Since its creation, UNRWA’s mandate has been repeatedly renewed by the United Nations General Assembly (a voting body of all member states). According to its website, the agency helped four generations of Palestinian refugees, providing education, health care, camp infrastructure, social services and emergency aid, even during times of conflict.

According to the agency, at least 152 UNRWA staff have been killed in Gaza since the war between Israel and Hamas began.

What are the allegations?

Neither Israel nor UNRWA have specified the nature of the alleged involvement of UNRWA staff in the events of 7 October, nor have they specified the number of staff allegedly involved.

However, an Israeli official told CNN on Friday that Israel has shared information with both UNRWA and the United States about 12 employees allegedly involved in the October 7 attacks.

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said he had “received information about the alleged involvement of a number of staff.” According to a statement, to protect the agency’s ability to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza, the decision was taken to “immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation to clarify the truth.”

He said any UNRWA employee found to be involved in terrorist acts will be held accountable, including criminal prosecution.

In addition to the alleged involvement of personnel on 7 October, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also alleged in a statement to CNN on Saturday that UNRWA facilities were used for “terrorist purposes”.

The IDF statement said, “The Intelligence Directorate has compiled a case convicting several UNRWA employees of alleged involvement in the massacre, as well as evidence pointing to the use of UNRWA facilities for terrorist purposes “

Asked about the claim about UNRWA facilities, the agency told CNN: “We have no further information on this at this time. The Office of Internal Oversight Services (the internal oversight body of the United Nations) will investigate all of these allegations as part of the investigation that the UNRWA Commissioner-General has asked them to conduct.

In an official statement released on Saturday, Hamas criticized the decision to terminate the workers’ contracts and accused Israel of trying to undermine UNRWA and other organizations providing humanitarian aid in Gaza.

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