The UN released a statement last 5 August 2024 that nine staff working for its Palestine refugee agency UNRWA will be sacked because they may have been involved in the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks against Israel.
The development follows the conclusion of an investigation by the UN Office of Oversight Services (OIOS), launched earlier this year after Israel alleged that several UNRWA personnel took part in the brutal assault on its territory in which some 1,200 people were killed and another 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages.
However, OIOS was not able to independently authenticate information used by Israel to support the allegations.
OIOS is the highest investigative body in the UN system and its reports are confidential but can be made available to Member States upon request.
Investigators made findings in relation to 19 UNRWA staff alleged to have been involved in the attacks, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists in New York.
"In one case, no evidence was obtained by OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member’s involvement, while in nine other cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient to support the staff members’ involvement," he said.
Regarding these 10 cases, he said that appropriate measures will be taken in due course, in conformity with UNRWA Regulations and Rules.
With respect to the remaining nine cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS indicated that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the 7 October attacks.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini issued a statement acknowledging the completion of the probe.
"I have decided that in the case of these remaining nine staff members, they cannot work for UNRWA. All contracts of these staff members will be terminated in the interest of the Agency," he said.