Dis-information and mis-information continue: UNRWA

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General

3 February 2025, From Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General as posted on his official X account (previously known as Twitter)

Here’s a recap of events:

• In January 2024, I received verbal information about the alleged participation of 12 UNRWA  staff in the horrible massacre of 7 October 2023.  Additional allegations were made two months later about 7 other staff.

• If these allegations were confirmed, it would be an unspeakable betrayal of UN values and Palestine Refugees. Any crimes must be investigated and those responsible be held accountable.

• The Secretary General launched an investigation by OIOS that failed to substantiate any of the allegations.  It concluded in the case of 9 staff:  “the evidence provided … could, if authenticated and corroborated, provide a factual basis to conclude that the UNRWA staff member may have engaged in conduct sanctionable under the applicable UNRWA Regulations and Rules".

• Despite that the evidence was NOT corroborated or authenticated, I have decided to terminate the contracts of those staff in the interest of the Agency.

• One staff was reinstated since all recognized he was misidentified. The remaining 9 staff remain fully suspended despite no substantiation of the allegations.

• My decisions protect the interest of the Agency and the communities we assist, especially in Gaza.

• UNRWA has 13,000 staff members in Gaza. They are dedicated to serve their communities. Labeling them and making unproven accusations against them harms people’s lives.

Background Information: UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.

UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.