The head of UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency, has warned of "a deliberate and concerted campaign" that was aimed at ending its operations after Israel accused the organisation of employing over 450 "military operatives" from Hamas and other armed groups.
Speaking to the UN on Monday, UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini called out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for "openly stating that UNRWA will not be part of post-war Gaza".
While he did not specifically address the latest allegations made by the Israeli forces, Lazzarini told the 193-member assembly that UNRWA was "functioning hand-to-mouth" after 16 countries paused a total of $450 million USD in funding when Israel in January initially accused 12 UNRWA staff of taking part in Hamas's October 7 attack.
The UNRWA staff were fired, and an independent internal UN investigation was launched. UNRWA employs 13,000 people in Gaza, running schools, healthcare clinics and other social services, and distributing humanitarian aid. The UN has said some 3,000 are currently still working to deliver aid in Gaza, where 576,000 people - one quarter of Gaza Strip's total population - are one step away from famine.
