UNRWA accuses Israel of extracting false confessions through torture

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israel On Monday stepped up his criticism of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, called UNRWAsaying this its 450 employees were members of militia group In Gaza StripAlthough he did not provide no proof To support your allegation. UNRWA condemns that Israel has detained many of its employees and forced them to hand over false testimonial Regarding the agency’s alleged ties to Hamas, through torture And abuse.

Major international financiers have taken into custodymillions of agency dollarsSince Israel accused 12 of its employees on 7 October of participating in Hamas attacks against Israel.

Philip LazzariniThe head of UNRWA said at a press conference on Monday night that “never informed“Nor has he received no proof Israel’s claims. Every year, he said, UNRWA provides Israel and the Palestinian Authority a list of its staff “and I have never had the slightest concern about the staff we are employing.”

The only allegation he was told verbally, he said, was that approximately 12 UNRWA staff allegedly participated in the 7 October attacks, who were removed Considering the seriousness of the complaint, action is being taken two probes ordered by United Nations,

UNRWA, which employs approximately 13,000 people in Gazais she largest support provider In the area. Leading voices from the United Nations and the European Union have repeatedly said that humanitarian agency work in Gaza is “irreplaceable”.

Monday’s allegations were significant increase In the allegations against the agency. Israel’s top military spokesman Daniel Hagari did not provide names or other evidence to support the massive increase in the number of UNRWA staff he said had ties to terrorist groups. ,more than 450 employees UNRWA has 450 military agents of terrorist groups in Gaza. This is not a mere coincidence. It is organized. You can’t say, ‘We didn’t know,'” Hagari said.

UNRWA accuses Israel of using torture to extract false statements

UNRWA accused Israel in a statement arrested many of its employees And force them, through it torture and abuseto give false confession About alleged links between the agency, Hamas, and the October 7 attack on Israel.

“These forced confessions as a result of torture are being used by Israeli officials to spread even more misinformation about the agency.” Attempt to dismantle UNRWA“This is placing our personnel in Gaza at risk and having a serious impact on our operations in Gaza and the surrounding region,” the statement said.

Following Israel’s initial accusation against UNRWA, the agency fired the accused staff and more than a dozen countries suspended funding worth about $450 million (about €415 million). nearly half of your budget for the year.

Juliet Touma, UNRWA’s communications director, did not comment directly on the new Israeli allegations. “UNRWA encourages any entity with information about extremely serious allegations against UNRWA personnel to share it Revision in progress of the United Nations,” he said.

two UN investigations Israel’s accusations were already under way when the EU announced on Friday it would pay UNRWA 50 million euros after the agency agreed to allow experts appointed by the European bloc. will audit The way it screens employees to identify extremists.

allegations were made when benny gantzA senior member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet met with US officials in Washington conversation in egyptto negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza, before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan next week.

Many people have died in Israeli attack on Gaza Strip more than 30,000 Palestinians, The military offensive has displaced much of the enclave’s population and caused a humanitarian catastrophe.