Jerusalem – Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the world body, made scathing allegations against Israel. United Nations The Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which Hamas has declared terrorist, runs the organization in the Gaza Strip.
Danon’s comments come after Israeli airstrikes last week targeted the UNRWA Al-Jouni school in the Gaza refugee camp. “How long will the UN keep its head in the sand and ignore the fact that Hamas terrorists have taken over UNRWA? Those killed in the IDF attack yesterday (Wednesday) were nine terrorists with blood on their hands, and some of them took part in the barbaric massacre on October 7. If there is still any doubt, here are the names of the Hamas terrorists who were on the school premises disguised as ‘local UNRWA staff,'” Danon asked.
According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the school, which was not operational, was being used as a Hamas command and control center.
Israeli Defense Minister: ‘Dozens’ of UNRWA staff participated in Hamas’ October 7 massacre
A protester holds a flag outside the UNRWA headquarters during a demonstration in Gaza, 2020. (Ahmed Zakot/SOPA Images/Light Rocket via Getty Images)
Danon listed the names of Hamas militants affiliated with UNRWA on his X-post, adding that “UNRWA-Gaza is a terrorist organization whose members participated in the October 7 massacre, and whose members have kidnapped and murdered innocent Israeli civilians. It is time to shut down UNRWA.”
Just last month, Fox News Digital reported that UNRWA Nine employees had to be fired Because of his possible involvement in the killing of nearly 1,200 people by Hamas on October 7 in southern Israel.
When contacted by Fox News Digital, UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma claimed that “Israeli authorities have not officially requested UNRWA to provide a list of the staff killed in yesterday’s attack on the UNRWA school.” She added, “The names that appear in today’s statement from the Israeli military have not been sent to us by Israeli authorities on previous occasions before today.”
“We always find out about these very serious allegations in the media after the incident,” he complained. Schools in Gaza have been closed since shortly after Israel launched a war on Hamas in response to the October 7 massacre in southern Israel.
Dossier reveals UN agency in Gaza has deep ties to Hamas
A UN vehicle enters the UNRWA office in Jerusalem on April 2, 2024. (Photo: Yoav Dudkevich/TPS)
Fox News Digital asked the Israel Defense Forces about Touma’s statement. The IDF spokesperson said, “From what I understand, it’s very clear in Gaza who is whose. I don’t think this is a surprise to anyone at UNRWA, it’s just an attempt to divert the discussion and blame.” The IDF spokesperson stressed that the UNRWA spokeswoman’s comments “seem to be a distraction from talking about the important issue – terrorists working for the organization and using UNRWA as a cover.”
Hillel Neuer, the executive director of UN Watch, told Fox News Digital. “This was a precision strike, targeting terrorists who had set up a command and control center in a compound that previously served as a school. The UN should condemn Hamas for using civilian buildings for military purposes, which is a war crime under the Geneva Convention. Instead, they were quick to condemn Israel.”
Danny Danon, Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a session of the Security Council at its New York City headquarters. (Israel Mission to the United Nations)
Neuer, who testified before Congress about the controversial agency, claimed, “UNRWA is deeply intertwined with the Hamas terrorist organization. Their employees regularly celebrate terrorist attacks against Israelis and Jews, as we have identified in our numerous reports, listing nearly 200 names. Next, we identified the heads of UNRWA. UNRWA Teachers Associationwho are senior officials within Hamas. Suheil al-Hindi, who for many years headed the UNRWA teachers’ union in Gaza, sits on the Hamas political bureau alongside Yahya Sinwar. Similarly, the head of the UNRWA teachers’ union in Lebanon, Fathi al-Sharif, is a senior Hamas militant, whose profile is given on our website, unwatch.org.”
He called on foreign governments to stop funding UNRWA. “It is high time that all Western countries that are giving UNRWA over a billion dollars stop funding an agency that is plagued by terrorism. The Swiss parliament has rightly called for a stop to funding it and to dismantle UNRWA altogether. We urge all other democracies, the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan, to do the same.”
Armored units of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will attack the Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza on May 15, 2024. (Photo: Mustafa Alkharuf/Anadolu, Getty Images)
UNRWA’s Touma condemned the Swiss decision. “Switzerland’s lower parliament voted to suspend funding to UNRWA. It is incomprehensible that this has happened at a time when the agency is at the forefront of life-saving humanitarian work in Gaza. Switzerland is known for its leading role in promoting humanitarian assistance and upholding international humanitarian law.”
“MPs who voted to abolish an agency mandated by the UN General Assembly without offering any political alternative to Palestinians under occupation are once again on the wrong side of history,” Touma said.
The US had suspended funding to UNRWA due to the role of some of its staff in the 7 October massacre. President Biden Aid to the controversial agency was resumed after former President Donald Trump took office in 2018, following a decision to halt funding to the controversial organization.
