UN fires more staffers and confirms multiple workers were possibly involved in Oct. 7 terror attacks

The U.N. agency operating in Gaza fired several staffers in January after Israeli authorities provided evidence of their alleged involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. Two of the 12 staffers accused are dead.

Keenly aware that the U.N. depends largely on American funding and on the generosity of other nations allied with Israel, U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini promised that any "UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution."

Following the initial layoffs, the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services conducted a months-long investigation to determine the extent of the terrorist rot in Lazzarini's organization, during which other staffers were flagged as potential terrorists.

'The UN is incapable of running a state-like enterprise in Gaza without being infiltrated by terrorist organizations.'

The U.S., the U.K., Canada, and 13 other nations cut off funding to UNRWA pending the results of the investigation. The American pause on funding, in particular, likely prompted the organization to take the matter especially seriously granted the U.S. provided the UNRWA with $422 million in 2023 alone.

On Monday — just days after the Israeli government stated that "the UN is incapable of running a state-like enterprise in Gaza without being infiltrated by terrorist organizations" — the OIOS concluded its report.

According to the U.N., investigators reviewed email records, information on agency vehicles, and information from other sources, including communications with several member states.

While Israeli intelligence was apparently critically important, U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq claimed that "since information used by Israeli officials to support the allegations have remained in Israeli custody, OIOS was not able to independently authenticate most of the information provided to it."

Although the report remains confidential, Lazzarini detailed the OIOS' findings regarding the 19 UNRWA staffers allegedly involved in the terrorist attacks.

In the case of one of the accused, Lazzarini said that "no evidence was obtained by OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member's involvement. That staff member has rejoined the Agency."

The commissioner further claimed that the evidence presented in nine of the 19 cases was insufficient to support the staffers' involvement in the terror attacks and that those investigations have been closed.

The OIOS apparently was wiling to acknowledge that nine of the accused were potential terrorists.

"For the remaining nine cases, the evidence — if authenticated and corroborated — could indicate that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the attacks of 7 October," said Lazzarini. "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."

Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan blasted the report, stating, "The UN investigation, which focused exclusively on 19 UNRA workers, is a disgrace! Too little and too late. The investigation ignored the thousands of agency employees involved in the terrorist activities of Hamas, and the scope of the involvement."

"The Secretary General should resign and UNRA should be closed!" continued Erdan. "Israel needs to act quickly now to outlaw UNRA, declare it a terrorist organization and expel its leaders from Israeli territory and not allow them to enter."

The OIOS report comes several months after a separate review panel headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna stressed the need for UNRWA to implement strategies to address "increased politicization among its staff, affecting its neutrality."

The panel's final report also raised concerns about the misuse of UNRWA facilities for "political or military gains."

Even if the U.S. joins Canada, Australia, and other nations in reversing its funding pause to the UNRWA following the conclusion of the OIOS investigation, Reuters indicated that renewed funding will require congressional approval. After all, Republicans in Congress successfully passed legislation to defund the agency in March.

'Not one more penny of YOUR tax dollars should go to UNRWA.'

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) said at the time that the corresponding bill, H.R. 2882, "prohibits funds to UNRWA, which has become the de facto subsidiary of Hamas. The passage of this bill means not one additional dollar from the American taxpayer will go to this deeply flawed organization."

It appears there may be some opposition to reversing course on UNRWA funding.

Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) tweeted Monday, "The United Nations just ADMITTED that UNRWA employed the TERRORISTS who butchered and raped American and Israeli citizens on October 7th. Not one more penny of YOUR tax dollars should go to UNRWA."

Sen. Marsha Blackburn also wrote, "We should never give another penny to antisemitic, terrorist supporting UNRWA."

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