The UN agency UNRWA provides education, health, and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, according to the UN. The agency shares staff lists annually with the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The review indicates that Israel has not raised concerns about UNRWA based on these employee lists since 2011.
In March 2024, Israel publicly claimed that a significant number of UNRWA employees are members of terrorist organizations but has not provided supporting evidence for this. Israel further accused over 450 UNRWA personnel of being active in terrorist groups in Gaza. UNRWA employs 32,000 people, with 13,000 of them in Gaza.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman accused more than 2,135 UNRWA employees of being members of Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. UNRWA’s communications director encouraged member states with information to share it with ongoing investigations rather than the media. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on countries to support UNRWA actively, stating it is a “lifeline for Palestinian refugees in the region.”
Following the accusations, countries suspended funding to UNRWA, with the US halting its $300-400 million annual donation. UNRWA said it canceled contracts with employees accused of involvement in attacks and is developing an action plan to address the review’s recommendations. Despite challenges related to neutrality, UNRWA is working to strengthen its efforts during a difficult time for the Palestinian people.