The United Nations Security Council is expected to convene an emergency session on Tuesday to address the latest findings from the US government watchdog linking four additional UNRWA staff members to the October 7, 2024 Hamas-led attacks and to broader Hamas affiliation. The development, disclosed Monday, brings the total number of flagged individuals to more than a dozen, intensifying American and Israeli demands for structural reform within the agency.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield is anticipated to present the watchdog's findings formally, calling on Secretary-General António Guterres to establish an independent accountability panel with authority to investigate personnel records and hiring practices across UNRWA's Gaza and West Bank operations. Washington has conditioned further financial contributions to the agency on measurable progress on this front.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini is expected to respond by defending the agency's internal vetting processes while acknowledging that the new allegations require thorough review. UNRWA has previously stated it terminated employees where credible evidence of involvement in the October 7 attacks was established, but critics argue the process has been opaque and insufficiently rigorous.
European member states, including France and Germany, face renewed pressure to revisit their own resumed funding to UNRWA in light of the latest disclosures. Several EU foreign ministers are expected to issue statements on Tuesday calling for transparent investigation while stopping short of suspending contributions, reflecting internal divisions within the bloc over balancing humanitarian obligations with accountability concerns.
The development comes amid an already volatile backdrop in Gaza, where aid delivery remains severely constrained. Human rights organisations warn that any further disruption to UNRWA's operations would deepen the humanitarian crisis for approximately 1.7 million displaced Palestinians, complicating diplomatic efforts to broker a lasting ceasefire agreement.