UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Antonio Guterres pleaded on Saturday (Jan 27) for donor states to “assure the continuity” of the physique’s Palestinian refugee company (UNRWA) after a number of halted funding over accusations of employees involvement in Hamas’ Oct 7 assault on Israel.
“Whereas I perceive their issues – I used to be myself horrified by these accusations – I strongly attraction to the governments which have suspended their contributions to, at the very least, assure the continuity of UNRWA’s operations,” Guterres stated in a press release, referring to the company’s acronym.
Israel has alleged a number of UNRWA employees had been concerned in Hamas’ assault, main some key donor international locations to droop their funding.
UNRWA fired a number of employees over Israel’s accusations, promising an intensive investigation into the claims, which weren’t specified, whereas Israel vowed to cease the company’s work in Gaza after the conflict.
The row between Israel and UNRWA follows the UN’s Worldwide Court docket of Justice ruling on Friday that Israel should stop doable acts of genocide within the battle and permit extra support into Gaza.
“The abhorrent alleged acts of those employees members will need to have penalties,” Guterres stated.
“However the tens of 1000’s of women and men who work for UNRWA, many in among the most harmful conditions for humanitarian staff, shouldn’t be penalised,” he added.
“The dire wants of the determined populations they serve should be met.”
Guterres confirmed that 12 UNRWA workers had been cited within the accusations, which the United Nations is investigating.
9 have been fired, one is useless, and the “the id of the 2 others is being clarified,” he stated.
A number of key donor international locations to UNRWA have stated they may briefly droop their present or future following accusations, together with the US, Britain, Canada and Switzerland.
Hamas slammed Israeli “threats” towards UNRWA on Saturday, urging the UN and different worldwide organizations to not “collapse to the threats and blackmail”.
The group’s Oct 7 assault resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, largely civilians, in line with an AFP tally of official figures.
Militants additionally seized about 250 hostages and Israel says round 132 of them stay in Gaza, together with the our bodies of at the very least 28 useless captives.
Israel’s army offensive, which started in late October, has killed at the very least 26,257 folks, most of them ladies and youngsters, in line with Gaza’s well being ministry.
