UNRWA fires 70 Gaza staffers amid Israeli accusations agency riddled with Hamas operatives
The Times of Israel • • world
Key Points:
- The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees has fired 70 employees in Gaza to address safety and security risks amid Israeli allegations that many staffers were Hamas operatives, though UNRWA denied these firings validate such claims.
- Israel has accused UNRWA employees of involvement in terror activities, including participation in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, and has presented evidence of UNRWA facilities being used for terror operations and incitement against Israel.
- Pro-Israel group UN Watch welcomed the firings but criticized UNRWA for not openly acknowledging the alleged Hamas links, calling the agency's response insufficient and self-protective rather than genuinely neutral or accountable.
- UNRWA, established in 1949, provides aid and services to around 5.9 million registered Palestinian refugees but faces long-standing criticism from Israel for perpetuating the conflict through its refugee definition and alleged tolerance of incitement in its schools.
- Despite controversies, UNRWA remains a key provider of humanitarian aid in Gaza and the West Bank, though major donors like the United States have frozen funding following accusations of staff involvement in terrorism.