The State of Israel reportedly released information on 12 international aid agency employees Friday that accused some of them of kidnapping people on Oct. 7.
Israel published the names of the alleged Oct. 7 participants, their positions in United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and their terror activities, The Times of Israel reported. (RELATED:UN Official Martin Griffiths Says ‘Hamas Is Not A Terrorist Group.’ Israel Responds)
A list in English of the 12 and the accusations against them was tweeted out by Emanuel Fabian, The Times of Israel military correspondent.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant publicly reveals the identities of 12 UNRWA staff who he says “actively participated” in the Hamas-led October 7 onslaught.
Among the staff who took part in the attacks are teachers working at UNRWA schools.
“In addition to these 12 workers, we… pic.twitter.com/zXPHDhmAck
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) February 16, 2024
Faisal Al Naami, an alleged member of Hamas and a social worker for UNRWA, was allegedly “involved in kidnapping a soldier from Beeri” on Oct. 7 as well as coordinating weapons and truck transfers, according the list of the 12 suspects, the outlet reported. Rami Sabbah, an alleged Hamas member and UNRWA math teacher, allegedly took part in “receiving and holding hostages” and even photographed a female hostage, the list reportedly revealed. Mousa El Qidra, an alleged Hamas member and UNRWA school counsellor, reportedly helped his son kidnap “an Israeli woman” on Oct. 7, the list showed.
“In addition to these 12 workers [whose information was published], 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,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated in a press conference, The Times of Israel reported.
Gallant reportedly estimated that at least 12 percent of UNRWA employees in the Gaza Strip had a relationship with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. “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, according to the outlet. Gallant’s estimate is in the ballpark of the assessment leaked to The Wall Street Journal that said around 10 percent of the agency’s staff maintain ties to terror organizations back in Jan.
Israel previously revealed that some of UNRWA’s staff participated in the Oct. 7 attack but did not release this level of detail about the accusations. The accusation led to several countries suspending aid to the agency. The United Nations has since appointed a review board to examine the accusations but the board has been criticized for bias.
Gallant maintained that the agency has “lost legitimacy and can no longer function as a UN body” and said he had ordered that aid traditionally provided through it to Gaza instead be diverted to different aid groups, The Times of Israel reported.