Employees accused of collaborating within the Hamas-led 7 October assault on Israel “betrayed” the UN’s company for Palestinian refugees, the group’s Gaza chief has informed Sky News.
The UK and US are amongst 16 nations which have suspended funding to the UN’s reduction company in Gaza (UNRWA) following Israeli accusations that 12 staff have been concerned within the assault.
Speaking to The World with Yalda Hakim, Tom White stated he was shocked by the allegations, which led to the workers being instantly fired.
Middle East newest as Hamas submits response to proposed ceasefire
“We are very clear with our staff and it’s in the contract they sign with UNRWA that they work as humanitarians and any sort of militant activity is totally incompatible with their work,” he stated.
“I’ve spoken to a large number of our staff in the last few days, Palestinian staff, and equally they are shocked by the actions of this small group.
“Essentially, they’ve betrayed the organisation, they’ve betrayed their mission as humanitarians and so they’ve betrayed the Palestinians themselves and compromised this very important help operation.”
Israel’s claims came as the country faced a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war on Gaza, and after years of it calling for the agency to be disbanded.
Mr White stated they share a listing of workers working in Gaza with Israel each 12 months, however issues had by no means been raised.
While the allegations shock Mr White, he stated solely a small fraction of its 13,000-strong workforce are accused and that withdrawing funds could be “absolutely catastrophic”.
“If we run out of funds, the aid operation here will collapse and that will be absolutely catastrophic for the people of Gaza,” he stated, including the company feeds 350,000 households and administers vaccines.
He spoke the day after accusing Israel of placing a UNRWA help convoy, which was ready on the coastal highway in Gaza for the inexperienced mild from Israel to ship help to the north of the enclave.
“It is exceptionally dangerous to deliver aid in Gaza,” he added.
“People in the north have not had an aid convoy with food for over 10 days.”
More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million folks are actually hemmed into Rafah, within the south, with Israel threatening to storm the realm when it finishes a battle in Khan Younis simply north of it.
Read extra:
Irish-Israeli former hostage, 9, ‘threatened with knife’ throughout ordeal
McDonald’s gross sales dented as Israel-Hamas conflict boycotts chew
The Hamas-run well being ministry in Gaza says 27,585 folks have been killed by Israel in Gaza since 7 October, with one other 66,978 wounded.
Those figures don’t differentiate between civilians and fighters, whereas Israel says 1,200 folks have been killed on 7 October, with greater than 200 taken hostage.
Source: information.sky.com”