Israel Demands Immediate Explanation from UN Regarding UNRWA's Involvement in Hamas Attack on October 7

The Israeli army announced on Thursday evening, November 3, that the country is seeking an immediate explanation from senior officials of the United Nations regarding the "involvement" of employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the Hamas attack on October 7 of last year. According to the Jerusalem Post, the Israeli army also called for an "immediate investigation" into UNRWA employees. These demands came after UNRWA confirmed on Thursday that "Mohammad Abu Attawi," who was killed by a targeted Israeli army attack on Wednesday, November 2, was an employee of the agency. Following Abu Attawi's death, the Israeli army identified him as "one of the commanders of Hamas" and stated that he played a significant role in the killing and kidnapping of Israelis during the October 7 attack, having been employed by UNRWA for over two years. Israel announced last February that some UNRWA employees participated in the killing and hostage-taking of Israelis during last year's Hamas attack, with about 190 employees of the agency, including teachers, reportedly active as Hamas or Islamic Jihad militants, both groups supported by the Islamic Republic. In response to these accusations, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated, "Any UN employee involved in terrorist activities will be held accountable, and the UN Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority to prosecute these individuals, in accordance with the usual procedures of the Secretariat for such collaborations." Late in October, following the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, Israeli media reported that a passport belonging to a teacher working at UNRWA was found alongside Sinwar's body. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), established by the United Nations in 1949, currently has 58 offices in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The agency had a turnover of at least $1.7 billion in 2022. The UN confirmed that the killed Hamas commander was operating under the guise of a UNRWA "relief worker." The U.S. representative criticized Israel for potentially obstructing UNRWA's activities and the human rights situation in Gaza. Internal UN investigations indicate that 9 UNRWA employees may have been involved in the October 7 attacks. Guterres stated, "The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has no substitute; support UNRWA." Leaders of the G7 countries called for the continued "unimpeded" operation of UNRWA.