JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The UN stated that nine staff working for its Palestine refugee agency UNRWA will be sacked because of their suspected involvement in the October 7 deadly Hamas-led attacks against Israel.
The UN takes disciplinary action on the basis of an investigation by the UN Office of Oversight Services, launched earlier this year after Israel alleged that several UNRWA personnel took part in the brutal assault on its territory in which more than 1,200 people were killed and another 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages.
OIOS is the highest investigative body in the UN system and its reports are confidential but can be made available to Member States upon request.
Investigators made findings in relation to 19 UNRWA staff alleged to have been involved in the attacks, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a news conference.
'In one case, no evidence was obtained by OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member's involvement, while in nine other cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS?was insufficient to support?the staff members' involvement,' he said.
Regarding these 10 cases, appropriate measures will be taken in due course, in conformity with UNRWA Regulations and Rules, he told reporters in New York.
On the remaining nine cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS indicated that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the October 7 cross-border attacks.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini issued a statement acknowledging the completion of the probe.
'I have decided that in the case of these remaining nine staff members, they cannot work for UNRWA. All contracts of these staff members will be terminated in the interest of the Agency,' he said.
The accusations surfaced in January when Israel informed UNRWA of the alleged involvement of 12 staff members in the attacks. UNRWA immediately identified and terminated 10, while two were confirmed dead.
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