The International Court of Justice ruled on Friday that it was very likely that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that they trust UNRWA sources regarding the matter. Immediately afterwards, Israel accused UNRWA of being complicit in the attack on Oct 7. The accusation is that some UNRWA employees aided Hamas in contriving the attack. More than 15 countries have cut funding for the UN agency since then.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) mainly provides assistance and protection for registered refugees in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as in the neighboring countries such as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. It is the primary humanitarian agency in Gaza that provides shelters for over 1 million Palestinians, and over 2 million people depend on it for their survival. Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA gave an official statement on Saturday saying, “It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the Agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts asking for a transparent independent investigation.”
The 12 UNRWA employees, who were accused, saw their contracts terminated as a result of these allegations, and an investigation has been launched. In another statement given the day before, Lazzarini said, “Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.”
US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Canada, Australia - the usual countries that are aiding and abetting Israel in committing genocide in live television - have all halted funding the UN agency. Their aid amounts to almost 95% of the total aid provided to UNRWA. Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz, urged for more nations to join in the cutting of funding. “UNRWA's ties with Hamas, providing refuge for terrorists, and perpetuating its rule are undeniable”, he said on Saturday. He called for the dismissal of leadership of UNRWA.
The French Government delayed making an official statement until yesterday, stating, “We expect the investigations launched in recent days to shed light on past events, and to be accompanied by concrete measures to be implemented quickly.” There is no plan for a new payment in the first quarter of 2024. In an effort to increase its humanitarian support for the population of Gaza, France has provided almost €60 million to UNRWA in 2023. They ‘will decide when the time comes what action to take in conjunction with the United Nations and the main donors, ensuring that all its transparency and security requirements are met.’
According to a senior Israeli official, the intelligence that UNRWA employees aided Hamas on Oct 7, came from interrogations of alleged militants that were kidnapped by the IDF from Gaza. It has been the admission of the Israeli media that those so-called militants are but civilians, doctors and journalists. Taking testimony from prisoners of war without their consent under duress is considered illegal, and a violation of international humanitarian law, which is clearly outlined in the Geneva Conventions. Several Human Rights organizations have already reported that there is a systematic pattern of torture tactics when Israel attempts to elicit confessions from Palestinians. These allegations do not seem to be substantiated by concrete evidence, it is more likely to be another lie. This false narrative is being pushed in order to divert attention from the trial that Israel is facing.
In difficult situations, Israel often resorts to making unfounded accusations to deflect attention from their own culpability; this one does not seem so different. The International Court of Justice just ruled that the case against Israel will continue as it is plausible that there is a genocide being committed. In result, the court has issued an order directing Israel to abstain from any actions that might be considered violations of the Genocide Convention and to ensure that its military personnel do not engage in genocidal acts in Gaza. The next day, Israel killed 400+ Palestinians. Some Israeli officials bizarrely claimed that the UN is part of Hamas. They have failed militarily in their ground operations. Tensions between Prime Minister Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant are escalating due to the unfolding developments in the war. Hamas has successfully repelled the IDF since the beginning of the war, and the Israeli cabinet is growing less patient each day.
Throwing UNRWA out of Gaza has been a long-time goal for Israel. In December last year, news emerged about a highly classified document that detailed a three-phased plan to push UNRWA out of Gaza after the war. The initial step is to put together a report on the allegations of UNRWA’s affiliation with Hamas, followed by reducing its operations in Gaza, and finally to rid the agency of its duties post-war. The right moment for the initial move to oust UNRWA only materialized two days ago, prompted by Israel’s accusation that the organization was complicit in the attack that sparked the current conflict. It appears that the ICJ's reliance on UNRWA sources in the ongoing case against Israel has spurred these allegations, leaving Gazans without international aid.