Israel Accuses 190 UN Employees of Membership in Hamas and Islamic Jihad

Israel has claimed in an intelligence dossier that some employees of the "United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East" (UNRWA) participated in the kidnapping and killing of Israelis during Hamas's October 7 attack, which sparked the Gaza war. This dossier has led several countries to suspend financial aid to UNRWA. In a six-page document seen by Reuters, Israel alleges that around 190 UNRWA employees, including teachers, have also acted as militants for Hamas or "Islamic Jihad." The document includes the names and photos of 11 of these individuals. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are listed as terrorist organizations by various countries. Palestinians have accused Israel of fabricating information to tarnish UNRWA's reputation. The UN agency has stated that it has dismissed some of its employees and is investigating the allegations. One of the 11 individuals is a school counselor accused by Israel of aiding his son in the kidnapping of a woman during the October 7 Hamas attack, although Israel did not specify the nature of his assistance. Another is a social worker at UNRWA who is accused of unspecified involvement in the transfer of the body of a killed Israeli soldier to Gaza and coordinating the movement of vehicles used by attackers and weapon logistics. Israel claims that over 1,200 people were killed and 253 were kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday that some UNRWA employees were directly involved in the attack. Recently, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pledged to hold accountable any employees involved in "abhorrent" actions. He noted that tens of thousands of men and women work at UNRWA, many of whom operate in some of the most dangerous conditions for humanitarian work and should not be punished, and that the "urgent needs of the desperate people they serve must be met." He urged countries to continue financial support for UNRWA for humanitarian reasons. Netanyahu: "If necessary, we will fight alone in Gaza; we will not allow Iran to become nuclear." Reactions to the accusations against UNRWA employees; Japan has also cut its financial aid.