Gaza aid agency ‘desperate’ after donors suspend payments over employees’ alleged role in Hamas attack

Japan and Austria have joined the US, UK, Germany and Italy in suspending payments to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, over some employees’ alleged role in the surprise October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.

Speaking to the BBC, the largest UN agency operating in Gaza said it is “extremely desperate” and that the humanitarian needs in the besieged territory “are growing by the hour”. The serious allegations come as the ongoing Israel-Hamas war rages on for almost four months.

The agency has sacked several of its employees over their alleged involvement in the Hamas attack, when scores of gunmen infiltrated Israel, killing about 1,300 people and taking 250 others back to Gaza as hostages.

Should Gaza be penalised?

Israel launched a major military operation in response, killing more than 26,000 people in the strip so far, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. 1.7 million other people have been displaced, with many of them taking shelter at UNRWA facilities.

UN Secretary-General Guterres said he is “horrified” by the accusations, but has called on donor countries to guarantee the continuity of the agency’s operations. There is a possibility the agency might not be able to continue its operations beyond the end of February.

Guterres said: “Of the 12 people implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini; one is confirmed dead and the identity of the two others is being clarified.”

Japan’s foreign ministry announced its decision late on Sunday, saying it was “extremely concerned about the alleged involvement of UNRWA staff members in the terror attack on Israel.” It added that it had been “strongly” calling on the agency to probe the allegations.

People on UNRWA salaries had allegedly “celebrated”

The UN agency’s 2022 figures put the US on the top of the list of donors, at $343.9 million. Germany, the EU, Sweden and Norway occupy the remaining top five spots, at $202.1 million, $114.2 million, $61 million and $34.2 million. Japan came in sixth, at $30.2 million.

In a BBC interview, Juliette Touma, the director of communications at UNRWA, called the accusations “extremely serious”, adding Lazzarini had taken an “extraordinary measure” in immediately dismissing the staff members in question.

On Friday, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the news agency that the October 7 incident had involved “people who are on their [UNRWA] salaries.” Mark Regev said evidence showed teachers working in UNRWA schools had “openly celebrated”.