UN Chief Antonio Guterres has appealed to 10 Western countries to reconsider their decision to stop funding the UN’s agency in Gaza, UNRWA.
“I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
Mr Guterres explained that two million civilians in Gaza depend on critical aid from UNRWA for daily survival but the agency’s current funding will not allow it to meet all requirements to support them in February.
Following allegations by Israel that some UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October 2023 attack that led to the death of over 1,000 people in Israel and kidnap of about 250 hostages, 10 Western countries including the US and UK said they would suspend funding to the agency.
Other countries include Australia, Canada, Italy, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Scotland.
Mr Guterres said the UN is “taking swift action following the extremely serious allegations against several UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff members.”
The statement said an investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) was immediately activated.
Similarly, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said he has fired several employees and opened an investigation into the allegations.
“To protect the agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay,” he said in a separate statement on Saturday.
Mr Lazzarini did not give the exact number of employees indicted or whose contracts were terminated.
Mr Guterres’ statement gave the number of indicted employees as 12.
“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,” he said.
He assured that any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution, adding that 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.
Mr Guterres noted that the “abhorrent alleged acts” of indicted staff members must have consequences, however, other staff should not be penalised.
“The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met,” he added.
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