Efe Cairo (Egypt) | Washington

Cairo (Egypt) | Washington

Updated Friday, January 26, 2024-17:16

  • Israel - Hamas War UN court demands Israel not commit genocide in Gaza

The UN Agency

for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)

announced this Friday its decision to terminate the contracts of several members of its staff who

allegedly participated in the attacks against Israel on October 7

and to initiate an investigation to clarify the facts. The United States has

reacted by suspending funding

for UNRWA due to its alleged links to Hamas.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement that he took "the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and

launch an investigation

to establish the truth without delay," as well as "to protect the capacity of the Agency to provide humanitarian assistance" in the Gaza Strip.

In the note, Lazzarini noted that this situation occurs after "Israeli authorities provided UNRWA with

information about the alleged participation of several

UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks against Israel on October 7."

"Any UNRWA employee who has been

involved in acts of terrorism must be held accountable

, including through criminal proceedings," added the Agency's top representative, without specifying how many workers are involved or the acts that Israel attributes to them or their alleged involvement. with the Islamist group Hamas.

Faced with these accusations made by Israel against members of UNRWA, Lazzarini reiterated, on behalf of his organization, his condemnation in "the strongest

possible terms of the abominable attacks

of October 7" and called for the "immediate and unconditional" release of all the Israeli hostages and their safe return to their families.

"These shocking allegations come as more than two million people in Gaza

depend on the life-saving assistance the Agency has been providing

since the war began," he noted.

For the commissioner general of UNRWA, "anyone who betrays the fundamental values ​​of the United Nations

also betrays those we serve in Gaza

, throughout the region and in other parts of the world."

The United States suspends financing

The United States has reacted by announcing the temporary suspension of funding for UNRWA due to accusations against several members of its staff.

"The United States is extremely concerned about

allegations that twelve UNRWA employees

may have been involved in the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel," the State Department said in a statement.

The number of victims of the war in the Gaza Strip has increased to 26,083 dead and 64,487 injured since the escalation between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas began on October 7, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported this Friday.

The Gaza Strip is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people living outdoors in the rain and frost of winter, amid

epidemics and the collapse of hospitals

, in addition to persistent shortages of drinking water. , food, medicine, fuel and energy.