United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday pledged firm action against any UN staff involved in terrorism, following claims linking some United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) workers to the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Guterres stated that those involved would face criminal prosecution and that the UN Secretariat would cooperate with the appropriate authorities.
Despite the serious accusations, Guterres urged governments worldwide to continue supporting UNRWA, emphasizing the critical humanitarian work performed by its employees under challenging conditions. He highlighted the need to meet the dire needs of the populations served by UNRWA.
Guterres revealed that of the 12 UNRWA staff implicated, nine have been dismissed, one is confirmed dead, and investigations on the remaining two are ongoing. This development led to funding suspension from several countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Finland, severely impacting the agency’s operations in Gaza.
Guterres appealed to these countries to ensure the continuity of UNRWA’s operations, acknowledging the gravity of the accusations but emphasizing the agency’s importance. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini echoed this sentiment, warning against punishing the entire agency and the communities it supports over individual allegations, especially during times of conflict and crisis in the region. He stressed the critical nature of this support for the people of Gaza and regional stability.