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The secretary general of the United Nations has called on nine countries, including the U.S., to resume funding their agency providing aid in the Gaza strip after a dozen of its employees were accused of taking part in the Hamas attack on Israel.
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and seizing about 240 hostages according to The Associated Press, which prompted the Israelis to carry out extensive airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza and to cut off the Palestinian territory's supply of water, fuel, and electricity, which it claims are taken by Hamas. International organizations have sounded the alarm of the worsening humanitarian situation in the region.
Since then, the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has provided aid to the region.
On Thursday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he informed the U.N. he was suspending its funding of the UNRWA after Israel claimed it had received "specific information" that some of the agency's workers had a role in Hamas' attack.
The U.S. State Department said there were allegations against 12 employees. UNRWA has 13,000 employees in Gaza, almost all of them Palestinians.
US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said it has "temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them".
Eight other countries, including Britain, Germany and Italy, followed suit.
On Friday, the UN announced that it had opened an investigation into several employees.
The on Sunday, in a statement, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres called on countries to "guarantee the continuity of UNRWA's operations", saying humanitarian workers in the region "should not be penalized."
Newsweek contacted the Department of State by email to comment on this story.
He said: "The United Nations is taking swift action following the extremely serious allegations against several U.N. Relief and Works Agency staff members. An investigation by the U.N.'s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) was immediately activated.
"Of the 12 people implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini; one is confirmed dead, and the identity of the two others is being clarified.
"Any U.N. employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution. The secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals in line with the secretariat's normal procedures for such cooperation.
"UNRWA had also previously announced a full, independent review of the organization on 17 January.
"Meanwhile, 2 million civilians in Gaza depend on critical aid from UNRWA for daily survival but UNRWA's current funding will not allow it to meet all requirements to support them in February. While I understand their concerns—I was myself horrified by these accusations—I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA's operations."
"The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences. But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met."
It comes after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Friday that Israel must report back to it in a month's time on the measures it is taking to ensure a genocide of Palestinians is not taking place in its war against Hamas.
On Saturday, retired U.S. General Jack Keane told Fox News' Neil Cavuto that President Joe Biden's administration should stay out of Israel's ongoing ground war against Hamas.
"The Israelis don't want to change their ground campaigns. I wish the administration would stay out of the tactics of how to conduct these operations. It is the prime minister and IDF's (Israeli Defense Forces) objective to try and destroy Hamas," Keane said.
Update 1/28/2024 11:15 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.
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Kate Plummer is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. politics and national affairs, and ... Read more