UNRWA Employees in Gaza Under Investigation: How Israel’s Accusations are Crippling Humanitarian Efforts

On Friday, the UN announced that it had made decisions regarding five out of the 19 cases targeting UNRWA employees accused by Israel of being involved in the Hamas attacks on October 7. These accusations have caused turmoil within UNRWA and led to a decrease in funding, particularly at a time when the Gaza Strip is facing dire humanitarian conditions, including the threat of widespread famine.

The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has been investigating the 19 UNRWA personnel accused by Israel, with 12 of them having their contracts terminated in January. Of these 12, one case was closed due to lack of evidence provided by Israel, and three others were suspended as the information provided was insufficient for an investigation. Seven new cases have been flagged, with one being suspended until more evidence is received. In total, 14 employees are still under investigation.

The OIOS investigators have engaged in discussions with Israeli authorities, with further visits planned for May. These discussions have been deemed constructive and have helped progress the investigations. These announcements come in the aftermath of a report by an independent assessment mission on UNRWA’s “neutrality” in Gaza, which found that the agency lacks political neutrality but there is no proof of alleged links to terrorist organizations among its members.

UNRWA employs over 30,000 individuals who serve 5.9 million Palestinians in the region. The report highlighted the importance of UNRWA in providing vital humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the occupied West Bank. Israeli accusations had prompted some donor countries to suspend funding