Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted

Reuters: 'Israel' coerced UNRWA employees to admit ties to Hamas

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Reuters
  • 10 Mar 2024 15:53
  • 12 Shares
4 Min Read

Reuters reports a yet unpublished document that UNRWA found that its staffers were coerced by Israeli forces through the use of violence to falsely state they had links with Hamas or took part in the October 7 operation.

  • x
  • 'Israel' tortured UNRWA employees to falsely admit ties to Hamas
    Israeli occupation soldiers inside a compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after forcing displaced families residing inside to evacuate, in Gaza City, on February 8, 2024. (AFP)

Following weeks of a nonstop Israeli targeted campaign against the UN agency, UNRWA said in an unpublished report that some of its staffers were coerced into falsely stating that they had ties with Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas, and that they took part in the al-Aqsa Flood on October 7 last year, Reuters reported on Saturday.

The occupation entity alleged in January that 12 of the 12,000 UNRWA members in Gaza participated in the October operation.

According to the news agency, UNRWA's report dated February said that its workers were subjected "to threats and coercion" by the Israeli authorities "while in detention and pressured to make false statements against the Agency," including that it has affiliations with Hamas, and that "UNRWA staff members took part" in the Resistance operation in October 2023.

Read more: 'No plan B' to secure UNRWA funds, UN can't print money: UN spox

Juliette Touma, the communications director for UNRWA, stated that the agency intended to provide the information contained in the report to organizations both within and outside the UN, who are specialized in documenting potential human rights violations.

"When the war comes to an end there needs to be a series of inquiries to look into all violations of human rights," Touma said.

The UNRWA report said that the agency's staffers were subjected to waterboarding, beatings, dog attacks, sexual violence, in addition to the death of some detainees under interrogation after being denied medical care.

'No evidence'

Related News

UN reports soaring malnutrition cases in Gaza amid Israeli blockade

UNRWA Chief: We cannot be partners in forced displacement in Gaza

The Israeli allegations prompted over 15 countries, including the United States, to suspend almost half a billion dollars in UNRWA fundings. The agency warned of the catastrophic reprecussions of this decision on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, already in shatters due to "Israel's" ongoing genocide and starvation policy.

Read more: Spain to give UNRWA additional 20mn euros: Spanish FM

UNRWA offers educational, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance to approximately 5.7 million registered Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. The United States, "Israel's" staunch ally and its main backer in the genocide in Gaza, has been the largest contributor to UNRWA's $1.4 billion annual budget.

On March 4, "Israel's" ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, claimed that UNRWA's work in Gaza was over, calling for the defunding and dismantling of the organization.

Meanwhile, Phillipe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, has reiterated that "Israel" provided no evidence against the accused agency employees, pointing out out that it was "a deliberate and concerted campaign" to end the agency and its work.

In attempt to get operations running again, UNRWA fired the staff members accused by "Israel" to maintain the agency's ability to facilitate and deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza. An independent internal UN probe was later launched as well.

Read more: UNRWA chief says agency reached 'breaking point' amid funding crisis

But a few weeks after the decision, many countries resumed their funding of the agency, including Canada and Sweden.

Asserting the credibility of the report, which was based on interviews with dozens of Palestinians previously subjected to Israeli detention, and who received assistance from the agency, Touma told Reuters that the report was based on "first-hand testimonies that people told us. In some cases there were clearly some physical impact on people's bodies. And also psychological impact. So this is what's also been documented."

The communications director stated that the agency welcomes any organization with information regarding the allegations against its staff to share it with the investigation being conducted by a United Nations oversight body.

  • UNRWA
  • Palestine
  • Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Israel
  • Philippe Lazzarini
  • Gaza
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS