By Blake Wolf, OAN Staff
Monday, August 5, 2024 6:13 p.m.
Nine employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA) have been fired for their alleged involvement in the deadly attack on October 7.Number Attack on Israel.
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This adds to reports in January that the agency had fired “several staff members” and launched an investigation into data provided by Israel, with at least 12 staff members found to have been directly involved in the attack.
“In regards to the nine individuals, there was sufficient evidence to conclude that they may have been involved in the October 7 attack,” Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq told a UN briefing.
The firings follow a recent investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS) into the alleged involvement of 19 UNWRA staff in the October 7 UN-Palestine conflict.Number Massacre.
No specific details have been released about how UNWRA officials were involved in the attack, but the records of the remaining staff members in question will also be examined.
“For us, any participation in attacks is a gross betrayal of the work we must do for the Palestinian people,” Haq said.
The investigation was launched after Israel accused hundreds of UNWRA officials of membership in an Islamic terrorist organisation, including of participating in the October 7 attack.Number attack.
UNRWA employs 32,000 people, including 13,000 from the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, after learning of the findings, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan criticised the investigation as a “shameful act” and that it was “too late”.
“The investigation ignores the thousands of employees involved in Hamas terrorism and the extent of their involvement. Israel has provided the UN with accurate details of more than 100 UNRWA employees who are members of the terrorist organization Hamas,” Erdan said.
UNRWA’s chief also issued a statement on the situation on Monday: “UNRWA was informed of the allegations in January. In close consultation with the Secretary-General, I acted in the best interests of UNRWA to immediately terminate the contract of the staff member in question, who in turn tasked OIOS with launching an investigation. Further allegations were brought to UNRWA’s attention in March and April, and the staff member concerned has been added to the OIOS investigation.”
Haq argued that details of OIOS’ investigation were confidential and that the information provided to OIOS to support its allegations against UNRWA officials came from Israeli authorities, saying “OIOS was unable to independently authenticate most of the information provided.”
Asked again why the nine had been released, Haq said: “We have enough information to take the step of dismissing these nine individuals.”
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