Israel has accused several of UNRWA’s employees of involvement in the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October. Following the allegations, several countries stopped their aid to UNRWA, prompting several aid organizations to raise the alarm that the withdrawn aid threatens Palestinian lives.
Following the allegations, the UN ordered an independent investigation into the aid organization. According to the report, which was presented on Monday, Israel has not yet presented any evidence for its accusations.
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Report: UNRWA has provided Israel with lists
The report shows that UNRWA has provided Israel with lists of its employees for review since 2011.
The report also states that UNRWA is “crucial” in delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank, among other places.
– UNWRA has an irreplaceable role in the region, it must be said, says Catherine Colonna, chair of the independent review and former French foreign minister.
At the same time, the investigators highlight several areas where the organization needs to improve its work regarding neutrality.
Catherine Colonna particularly highlights the organization’s “interesting structure” and that it lacks an executive management and only has an advisory committee.
Guterres: “A lifeline for Palestinian refugees”
On Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed that he had received the report, and he is now appealing to countries to actively support UNRWA. “It is a lifeline for Palestinian refugees in the region,” he says via his spokesperson.
A spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes the report as “inadequate” and believes that it ignores the seriousness of the subject.
– I have told them that of course you will find the report insufficient. But I have asked them to take the report to heart, says Colonna.