UN gives update on 19 staff accused by Israel of Oct. 7 involvement

NEW YORK: U.N. investigators examining Israeli accusations that 12 staff from the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks have closed one case due to a lack of evidence from Israel and suspended three more, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday (April 26).

He said the inquiry by the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) continues into the remaining eight cases.

In the closed case, Dujarric said “no evidence was provided by Israel to support the allegations against the staff member” and that the U.N. is “exploring corrective administrative action to be taken in that person’s case.” He said three cases were suspended “as the information provided by Israel is not sufficient for OIOS to proceed with an investigation.” He said UNRWA is considering what administrative action to take.

After an initial 12 cases were raised by the Israeli government in late January, a further seven cases were brought to the attention of the United Nations in March and April, Dujarric said. One of those cases was suspended pending receipt of additional supporting evidence, he said, and the remaining six investigations continue.

UNRWA provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The accusations became public in January when UNRWA, which employs some 13,000 people in Gaza, announced that it had fired some staff and been briefed by Israel. Of the initial 12 accused by Israel, UNRWA fired 10 people and said the remaining two are dead. It was not immediately clear how they died.