UN says nine UNRWA staff members may have been involved in Oct. 7 attack on Israel

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Evidence obtained by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) indicated that nine staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) may have been involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, a UN spokesman said on Monday.

The OIOS has completed its investigation into 19 area staff members of the UNRWA, regarding allegations of their involvement in the attacks in southern Israel, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, at a daily briefing.

The OIOS made findings in relation to each of the 19 UNRWA staff members alleged to have been involved in the attacks, he said.

In one case, no evidence was obtained by the OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member's involvement, while in nine other cases, the evidence obtained by the agency was insufficient to support the staff members' involvement, according to Haq.

With respect to these ten cases, appropriate measures will be taken in due course, in conformity with UNRWA regulations and rules, he said.

In respect of the remaining nine cases, the evidence obtained by the OIOS indicated that the UNRWA staff members "may have been involved in the armed attacks," said the spokesman.

"The employment of these individuals will be terminated in the interests of the agency," he added.