Leaders of the most important United Nations company in Gaza warned on Monday that it might quickly run out of cash as new allegations emerged about Hamas’s affect on the group.
As U.N. officers fretted over the way forward for UNRWA, the primary assist company for Palestinians, Israeli officers debated whether or not it made sense to publicly air accusations {that a} group of the company’s employees have been concerned within the Oct. 7 terror assault. Some Israeli navy leaders believed it was a mistake to unleash a furor, in response to three Israeli officers concerned within the discussions, as a result of the company’s collapse would go away an enormous administrative and logistical vacuum in the midst of a humanitarian disaster.
UNRWA performs an important position in Gaza — distributing meals, water and drugs — and it’s unclear who would fill the vacuum have been it to break down. Most of Gaza’s 2.2 million persons are displaced from their properties, many are sheltering in facilities and faculties run by the company, and it helps allocate the help that arrives in Gaza every day.
Israel has charged that no less than 12 staff of the company — the United Nations Aid and Works Company for Palestine Refugees — participated within the Oct. 7 assault and that as many 1,300 staff are members of the group. The Oct. 7 assault ended with roughly 1,200 folks useless and one other 240 taken hostage, in response to Israeli estimates.
The Israeli navy supplied america with a file alleging that roughly 10 p.c of the company’s 13,000 staff in Gaza are Hamas members. That evaluation is derived from cross-referencing an UNRWA employees record with a listing of Hamas members that troopers discovered on a pc throughout a current operation inside Gaza, in response to the navy officers.
The allegations embody proof that one UNRWA employee kidnapped a girl and one other took half in a bloodbath at a kibbutz. The United Nations is investigating the fees, which have been first made public on Friday, and it has fired 9 of the accused.
Hamas, which is taken into account a terror group by america and the European Union, additionally controls the civil authority that ran Gaza at first of the struggle. It was unclear how most of the accused members have been energetic within the group’s armed wings, although membership alone for UNRWA members is prohibited.
As the brand new allegations have been made public on Monday, Austria joined 13 different international locations in briefly halting its donations to UNRWA, main the company to warn that its operations may stop for lack of cash by the top of February.
Some Israeli navy leaders mentioned Monday they have been questioning the timing of their diplomatic counterparts’ accusations in opposition to UNRWA, in response to three Israeli officers concerned within the discussions. Israeli safety chiefs worry they are going to be left taking part in a extra direct position within the distribution of meals and assist, a job they don’t need.
A few of Israel’s navy leaders are not sure concerning the deserves of publicly distributing the intelligence file as a result of it may drive extra donors to withdraw funding earlier than Israel had correctly thought by way of how UNRWA might be changed.
“I might be blissful if UNRWA can be closed,” mentioned Ilan Paz, a former Israeli normal who handled UNRWA throughout his time in service.
“However you recognize, there isn’t a different group,” Mr. Paz mentioned. Israel’s failure to consider the way it would possibly substitute UNRWA was considered one of a number of gaps within the authorities’s long-term desirous about the struggle and its aftermath, he added.
Many Israeli officers have needed for years to disband UNRWA, accusing it of being influenced by — and even collaborating with — Hamas, a cost the company denies. The Israeli overseas minister, Israel Katz, referred to as on Saturday for it to get replaced. However even officers who share that antipathy say this isn’t the time to eliminate the company.
Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 assault, a relentless bombing marketing campaign and an invasion by floor forces, has led to a deep humanitarian disaster in Gaza, the place no less than 26,000 folks have been killed — greater than 1 in 100 — in response to Gazan officers. The well being system has collapsed, ailments are spreading, and assist teams are warning of a looming famine.
In current days, the state of affairs has worsened after torrential rains flooded areas the place 1000’s of displaced Palestinians are sheltering in flimsy makeshift tents.
Khalil el-Halabi, 70, mentioned he had been fighting a chilly for every week when rain flooded his tent in Rafah. After one downpour subsided, Mr. el-Halabi and his household tried to dry out elements of the tent the place water had entered — however the water simply discovered its approach again inside when it rained once more the subsequent day.
“Disastrous,” Mr. el-Halabi, initially from Gaza Metropolis, mentioned. “The water went in all places.”
Based on Israeli and U.N. officers, Israeli diplomats made the accusations concerning the 12 UNRWA employees at a personal assembly in Israel with UNRWA’s management almost two weeks in the past. The assembly was held with out the information of the senior navy and intelligence officers who had overseen the operation that had investigated the 12 employees’ hyperlinks to the assault, in response to three navy officers. The overseas ministry declined to remark.
Days later, UNRWA fired many of the accused employees and notified its key donors, together with america, whose diplomats swiftly sought clarification concerning the claims from the Israeli navy.
The navy management was so stunned that the data had reached U.S. officers that they ordered an inside investigation about the way it was disseminated, in response to the navy officers, who spoke anonymously to debate a delicate matter.
The United Nations secretary normal, António Guterres, plans to fulfill on Tuesday with representatives of the international locations which are UNRWA’s main donors and urge them to maintain it afloat.
“He’s personally horrified by the accusations in opposition to staff of UNRWA however his message to donors, particularly those that have suspended their contribution, is to no less than assure the continuity of UNRWA’s operations,” mentioned Stephane Dujarric, Mr. Guterres’s spokesman. “The dire wants of the determined inhabitants they serve have to be met.”
UNRWA offers Israel’s overseas ministry with a employees record yearly. Requested why it had not beforehand detected such a excessive variety of Hamas members amongst that record, the overseas ministry mentioned that the data it was given was solely partial, and that vetting the staff was UNRWA’s duty. The company mentioned it doesn’t routinely conduct background checks of its employees.
The company was based in 1949 to take care of Palestinians who fled or have been compelled from their properties in the course of the wars surrounding the creation of Israel. Now, it offers providers to greater than 5 million refugees and their descendants who dwell throughout the Center East, together with Gaza.
Israelis say the group helps to maintain the refugees’ aim of returning to territory in what’s now Israel, a aim Israelis oppose. Palestinians and their supporters say UNRWA is an important lifeline to among the most weak folks within the Center East.
“The individuals who will probably be affected by this are the 1 million folks taking refuge in UNRWA shelters in Gaza,” mentioned Chris Gunness, a former spokesman for the group.
And at a time when its providers are wanted most, UNRWA’s management now says that it might not have the ability to proceed as a result of it has no strategic monetary reserve.
Donor international locations launch funding in installments all year long. Whereas america’ subsequent cost is just not anticipated till June, among the different international locations which have suspended funding have been scheduled to make their subsequent donations in February, Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s director of communications, mentioned in a cellphone interview.
As a result of UNRWA used up most of its monetary reserves throughout a earlier funding freeze ordered by President Donald J. Trump, the company is determined by a secure circulate of donations to remain afloat, Ms. Touma mentioned.
If even a couple of donors fail to revive their funding by the top of February, Ms. Touma mentioned, UNRWA will cease having the ability to pay the salaries of its 30,000 staff throughout the Center East.
Patrick Kingsley reported from Jerusalem and Ronen Bergman from Tel Aviv. Reporting was contributed by Hiba Yazbek, Adam Rasgon, Matthew Mpoke Bigg, Farnaz Fassihi, Myra Noveck and Gabby Sobelman.