Unrwa: 9 staff members involved in the October 7 attack. This is communicated by the General Commissioner Lazzarini
Nine members of Unrwa staff, the UN agency that takes care of Palestinian refugees, could be actually involved in the attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, and therefore, will no longer work for the agency. This is the conclusion reached by Unrwa after a long investigation conducted by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (Oios) “into the serious allegations that 19 staff members of Unrwa in Gaza were involved in the abominable attacks of October 7 in southern Israel,” the agency reports in a statement. The allegations, explains General Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini, “were brought to the Agency’s attention in January. In close consultation with the United Nations Secretary-General, I immediately terminated the contracts of the staff members in question, in the interest of the Agency, while the Secretary-General tasked Oios with initiating an investigation. Further allegations were brought to our attention in March and April, and the staff members involved were added to the Oios investigations.
”The outcomes of the investigation are as follows – continues Lazzarini – in one case, Oios found no evidence to support the allegations of involvement of the staff member. That staff member has returned to the Agency. In another nine cases, the evidence obtained by Oios was not sufficient to support the involvement of the staff members and the Oios investigation concerning them is now closed. For the remaining nine cases, the evidence, if authenticated and confirmed, could indicate that Unrwa staff members may have been involved in the October 7 attacks. I have decided that the remaining nine staff members will not be able to work for Unrwa. All contracts of these staff members will be terminated in the interest of the Agency.”