The affair risks causing a stir.
Members of UNRWA, the United Nations agency which helps Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, are suspected of being involved in the deadly attacks of October 7, carried out by Hamas on Israeli soil.
Le Parisien takes stock.
What is Unrwa?
Unrwa, in French the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East, is a UN agency which has been helping Palestinian refugees since 1949, giving them access in particular to education, emergency first aid… Its members are particularly present in the Gaza Strip, from where the Hamas terrorists left on October 7 to commit their massacre.
The agency, financed almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, has been helping Gazans fleeing intense bombardments carried out by the Israeli army since October, which does not spare civilians.
Two million people in Gaza depend on its aid, according to its director Philippe Lazzarini.
According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, nearly 26,000 people, mostly civilians, have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip since the IDF offensive.
Agency officials had recently complained of having been targeted by Israeli fire in the Palestinian enclave.
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UNRWA has been regularly singled out by Israel in the past; Tel Aviv accuses it in particular of fueling incitement to anti-Israeli hatred, allegations which it denies.
What is she accused of?
Israeli authorities this time accuse several UNRWA employees of being involved in Hamas raids which left nearly 1,200 dead, including many civilians in villages in southern Israel and at the site of a festival. outdoor music.
The degree of their alleged involvement is currently unknown.
“In order to protect the Agency's ability to provide humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and to open an investigation to establish the truth without delay,” announced Philippe Lazzarini in a press release without however specifying how many agents were concerned.
According to the United States, there are 12 employees targeted by this investigation.
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“Any Unrwa employee involved in acts of terrorism will be held responsible, in particular through criminal prosecution,” added Philippe Lazzarini.
“Secretary-General (UN Antonio Guterres) is horrified by this news,” said his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
Washington concerned
“The (US) Department of State has temporarily suspended additional funding to UNRWA while we review these allegations and the actions taken by the United Nations to respond to them,” said its spokesperson Matthew Miller.
According to Reuters, the United States, along with Germany and the European Union, were the agency's largest donors in 2022.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, for his part, said he would “assess the measures to be taken based on the results of a full and thorough investigation”.