Israel claims dozens more UN workers carried out Oct 7 attacks

Over 1,400 UNRWA staff are members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, says defence minister

ISRAEL has identified dozens more UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) workers who it claims took part in the Oct 7 Hamas attacks, the country’s defence minister told The Telegraph.

At a briefing for journalists in Tel Aviv, Yoav Gallant also said more than 1,400 workers from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The figure amounts to about 12 per cent of its workforce.

Several countries, including the UK, suspended their financial aid to the UNRWA after Israel provided evidence showing that a dozen of its members were involved in Hamas’s massacre.

Mr Gallant shared what he said was evidence that more UNRWA workers were involved than previously claimed.

“In addition to these 12 workers, we have significant indications, based on intelligence, that over 30 UNRWA workers participated in the massacre, facilitated the taking of hostages, looted and stole from Israeli communities, and more,” he said.

“Out of 13,000 UNRWA workers, 12 per cent are affiliated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). 1,468 workers are known to be active in Hamas and PIJ. 185 UNRWA workers are active in the military branches of Hamas and 51 are active in the PIJ military branch,” he added.

Mr Gallant also revealed the alleged identities and pictures of the first 12 UNRWA workers Israel accused of being involved in the attacks. The Telegraph

was unable to independently verify the identities of the workers shared in the briefing.

The UNRWA is conducting an internal investigation into the claims and has suspended nine of its workers following the allegations. Mr Gallant said he had instructed the defence establishment to

“begin transferring responsibilities related to the delivery of aid, to additional organisations”. The UNRWA, he said, “has lost legitimacy and can no longer function as a UN body”.

The IDF last week uncovered an 18-metre deep, 700-metre long Hamas tunnel under the UNRWA’s headquarters in Gaza, which, it is claimed, served as a Hamas intelligence data centre

Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA’s chief, later denied any knowledge about the Hamas tunnels under his HQ.

Mr Gallant said: “Hamas uses UNRWA institutions including hospitals and schools in order to store weapons, launchers, command centres, build tunnel shafts and tunnels. Nuchba forces [Hamas special forces] hide in UNRWA facilities. Hamas and PIJ launch missiles from UNRWA schools.”

Mr Gallant also took questions on the future of Gaza, insisting that Israel has no intention of resettling the enclave.

“The guiding principle for the day after Hamas – neither Israel nor Hamas will be in control of Gaza. Israel is not going to control Gaza,” he said.

Mr Gallant said that Israel is “thoroughly planning” military operations in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, where 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering. “There were 24 regional battalions in Gaza – we have dismantled 18 of them. Now, Rafah is the next Hamas centre of gravity,” he said.

Israel has been warned by its allies, including France, US and Germany, about its plan to begin a military operation in Rafah. On Friday, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said an Israeli offensive in Rafah “could only lead to an unprecedented humanitarian disaster and would be a turning point in this conflict”.

Amid concerns that Palestinians will be forced to flee across the border to the Sinai desert, Mr Gallant said: “We respect and value our peace agreement with Egypt, which is a cornerstone of stability in the region as well as an important partner.”

Talks to agree a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza were “not very promising” in recent days, mediator Qatar has said.