Antonio Guterres
Following charges that certain refugee agency staffers were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres vowed on Sunday to take any United Nations employees involved in acts of terror accountable.
However, Guterres urged nations to continue supporting the UN Refugee Agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) after nine countries halted funding.
In a statement, the UN Chief said, “Any U.N. employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution”.
“The Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation”, the statement reads.
It went on to say, “The tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met”.
In his first public remark on the subject, the UN chief provided information about the UNRWA staffers involved in the abhorrent alleged acts.
The UN Secretary-General stated that nine of the 12 implicated had been proven deceased, and the names of the other two were being clarified.
Following Israel’s charges, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Finland suspended financing aid agency, a crucial source of support for people in Gaza, on Saturday, joining the United States, Australia, and Canada.
“While I understand their concerns – I was myself horrified by these accusations – I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations”, the UN Chief noted.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini emphasized, “It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Agency and the entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement, and political crises in the region”.
In a statement, he asked nations to reconsider funding suspensions.
“The lives of people in Gaza depend on this support and so does regional stability”, Lazzarini added.
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