Catherine Colonna, tasked with conducting an independent report on UNRWA's operations, confirmed that she reviewed the agency's work in eight specific areas and suggested that the agency implement a special audit system for its staff. She stated, "It is crucial for the host countries of UNRWA and Israel to provide clear evidence regarding any allegations of misconduct in the agency's operations. It is very important to establish strategies for the neutrality of UNRWA staff. Regarding our assessment, we concluded that the agency has established several mechanisms that ensure compliance with the principle of neutrality."
She noted that "less than 1% of UNRWA staff are foreign employees, while the majority are from the local environment, which is a normal situation." Colonna emphasized, "UNRWA plays an indispensable role in the region and is essential in providing aid in Gaza."
After investigations lasting nearly two months regarding the involvement of employees from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the 7th of October attack carried out by Hamas on Israeli settlements and military bases in the Gaza envelope, a recent review concluded that there is no evidence to support those allegations.
The report from the committee commissioned by the United Nations, led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, concluded on Monday that Israel has yet to provide supporting evidence for its claim that a large number of the agency's employees are members of terrorist organizations. The report pointed out that Israeli authorities made "public allegations" based on a list of UNRWA employees provided to them in March, claiming that "a large number of agency employees are members of terrorist organizations, yet they have not yet provided supporting evidence for this."
This conclusion may prompt some donors to reconsider the freeze on funding for UNRWA following Israel's claim that 12 agency employees participated in the Hamas attack.
