UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pledged on Sunday to hold accountable "any staff member of the international organization involved in terrorist acts" following allegations that some employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) participated in the October 7 attacks launched by Hamas against Israel. However, Guterres urged governments to continue supporting the agency after several countries halted their funding to it.
Guterres stated, "Any UN staff member involved in terrorist acts will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution. The Secretariat is ready to cooperate with an appropriate authority capable of prosecuting individuals in accordance with the normal procedures of the Secretariat for such cooperation."
At the same time, he remarked, "Tens of thousands of men and women working with UNRWA, many of whom operate in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be punished, and the urgent needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met."
In his first direct comments on this issue, the UN Secretary-General provided details about UNRWA employees involved in "alleged heinous acts." He noted that the contracts of nine out of twelve implicated employees had been terminated, confirmed the death of one, and that the identities of the other two are currently being established.
On Saturday, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Finland joined the United States, Australia, and Canada in halting funding to UNRWA following allegations made by Israel. Guterres said, "While I understand their concerns, as these allegations have personally alarmed me, I strongly urge the governments that suspended their contributions to at least ensure the continuity of UNRWA's operations."
Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, expressed a stronger tone, stating, "It would be highly irresponsible to impose sanctions on an agency and an entire community it serves due to allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially during times of war, displacement, and political crises in the region." He urged countries to reconsider their funding suspensions, adding, "People's lives in Gaza depend on this support, as does regional stability."
