The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) terminated the employment of 70 personnel in the Gaza Strip on Friday following an inquiry spearheaded by the US Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General, i24NEWS reported.
The mass firings occurred after the USAID oversight body flagged more than 100 past and present UNRWA workers for potential suspension or blacklisting. The individuals are accused of participating in the October 7, 2023 massacre or maintaining active ties to the military wing of the Hamas terrorist organization.
An anonymous high-ranking American official provided context on the strategic timing of the firings to i24NEWS.
“The timing of UNRWA’s decision to terminate dozens of staff appears as a direct response to the USAID Inspector General‘s active and ongoing investigation, which to date, has linked over 100 UNRWA staff to Hamas," the official stated.
The source added that the investigation's scope extends beyond UNRWA to ensure systemic accountability across the broader humanitarian network in the region.
“Because of loose vetting procedures in the UN system, USAID IG law enforcement officers are also working to prevent Hamas-linked staff from jumping to other aid organizations operating in Gaza," the official said.
In an official communiqué, UNRWA confirmed that its acting commissioner-general, Christian Saunders, had personally ordered the termination of the 70 Gazan employees. The organization asserted that the firings were implemented to minimize “safety and security risks" for local Palestinian Arabs, agency staff, and UNRWA facilities, though it maintained that the dismissals did not amount to a formal validation of the specific accusations.
The defensive tone of the agency's announcement drew swift and harsh condemnation from Jerusalem, with Israel's Foreign Ministry blasting the messaging as a deliberate attempt to evade accountability.
"UNRWA's statement on the termination of 70 employees, while blaming the victim, Israel, and without even mentioning the word 'Hamas', is a cynical cover-up," the ministry declared. "The responsibility to purge terrorism lies solely with the UN, yet Hamas membership remains simply acceptable within UNRWA's ranks."
UNRWA has long been criticized for its cooperation with the Hamas terrorist organization, which has been proven time and time again. That criticism has increased since Israel provided evidence in 2024 that UNRWA staff participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
Following the Israeli revelations, the UN formed a review group, headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, to look into the Israeli allegations. The group said in its report that it found neutrality-related issues" in UNRWA but also claimed that Israel had yet to provide evidence for allegations that a significant number of its staff were members of terrorist organizations.
Despite all the evidence showing UNRWA’s deep ties to Hamas, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel must facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through UN agencies, including UNRWA. That ruling was criticized by Israel as well as by the US.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)