Israel-Hamas conflict: Accused UNRWA workers ‘betrayed’ company, says group’s Gaza chief

Employees accused of participating within the Hamas-led 7 October assault on Israel “betrayed” the UN’s company for Palestinian refugees, the group’s Gaza chief has instructed Sky News.

The UK and US are amongst 16 nations which have suspended funding to the UN’s reduction company in Gaza (UNRWA) following Israeli accusations that 12 staff had been concerned within the assault.

Speaking to The World with Yalda Hakim, Tom White stated he was shocked by the allegations, which led to the workers being instantly fired.

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“We are very clear with our staff and it’s in the contract they sign with UNRWA that they work as humanitarians and any sort of militant activity is totally incompatible with their work,” he stated.

“I’ve spoken to a large number of our staff in the last few days, Palestinian staff, and equally they are shocked by the actions of this small group.

“Essentially, they’ve betrayed the organisation, they’ve betrayed their mission as humanitarians they usually’ve betrayed the Palestinians themselves and compromised this very important assist operation.”

Israel’s claims got here because the nation confronted a genocide case on the International Court of Justice over its conflict on Gaza, and after years of it calling for the company to be disbanded.

Mr White stated they share an inventory of workers working in Gaza with Israel each 12 months, however issues had by no means been raised.

While the allegations shock Mr White, he stated solely a small fraction of its 13,000-strong workforce are accused and that withdrawing funds could be “absolutely catastrophic”.

“If we run out of funds, the aid operation here will collapse and that will be absolutely catastrophic for the people of Gaza,” he stated, including the company feeds 350,000 households and administers vaccines.

He spoke the day after accusing Israel of placing a UNRWA assist convoy, which was ready on the coastal street in Gaza for the inexperienced gentle from Israel to ship assist to the north of the enclave.

“It is exceptionally dangerous to deliver aid in Gaza,” he added.

“People in the north have not had an aid convoy with food for over 10 days.”

More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million individuals are actually hemmed into Rafah, within the south, with Israel threatening to storm the world when it finishes a battle in Khan Younis simply north of it.

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The Hamas-run well being ministry in Gaza says 27,585 individuals have been killed by Israel in Gaza since 7 October, with one other 66,978 wounded.

Those figures don’t differentiate between civilians and fighters, whereas Israel says 1,200 individuals had been killed on 7 October, with greater than 200 taken hostage.