UN agency fires staff after ‘shocking’ allegation of roles in Israel attacks

globalnews.ca:

The United Nations agency charged with delivering aid to Palestinians has fired staff members accused of being involved in the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed.

A statement posted to the United Nations Relief and Works agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) website on Friday morning says Israeli authorities provided information to the agency about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the attacks.

The statement does not name Hamas, the group behind the attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.

“To protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay,” the statement quotes UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini as saying.

“Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.”

The statement calls the allegations “shocking.” It states that more than two million people depend on lifesaving assistance UNRWA delivers.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. is “extremely troubled” by the allegations that “12 UNRWA employees” may have been involved in the Hamas attack.

“The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them,” Miller said.

Global News reached out to the State Department to ask how much aid it was freezing and where that aid would have been directed. The State Department did not immediately respond.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres about