The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the U.N. body dedicated to assisting Palestinians, has been embroiled in controversy following revelations of a Hamas intelligence command center located beneath its main facilities in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed the existence of an extensive underground complex, stretching nearly a mile, beneath the UNRWA's premises, including a school and its headquarters. This revelation came to light during a tour given to journalists, where the IDF detailed that the concealed facility served as a pivotal command center for Hamas, complete with a substantial server farm.
UNRWA Commissioner General claims UNRWA did not know there was Hamas tunnel underneath its HQ. Nonsense of course. UNRWA knew all about this and the terrorist infrastructure wired into so many of their premises including schools. UNRWA is an enabler of genocidal Hamas terrorists. pic.twitter.com/7qe3pdygxl
— Rɪᴄʜᴀʀᴅ Kᴇᴍᴘ ⋁ (@COLRICHARDKEMP) February 11, 2024
Reports from Reuters and The Times of Israel highlight that the discovery was made possible through intelligence gathered from interrogated Hamas operatives captured in the early stages of Israel's offensive in Gaza. Further investigations revealed arms caches within the UNRWA headquarters, raising serious questions about the agency's oversight and governance.
I'm speechless.@UNLazzarini decided to completely ignore the fact we exposed how Hamas dug a massive terror tunnel network underneath UNRWA's Gaza HQ and continues rambling about UNRWA's funding.
— Yaari Cohen (@YaariCohen) February 12, 2024
You should be ashamed of yourself @UNLazzarini - the only thing left for youto do… https://t.co/W6ba2lAwHi
In response to these allegations, Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, issued a statement vehemently denying prior knowledge of the underground facilities. He noted that the agency first became aware of the command post through media reports, and due to the evacuation of the facility on October 12—amidst the Israeli campaign against Hamas—UNRWA was unable to verify these claims independently. Lazzarini also mentioned that the last inspection at the UNRWA site occurred in September 2023, implying no irregularities were observed at the time.
When @UNLazzarini denied any knowledge of Hamas building a tunnel network under @UNRWA Headquarters.
— Joo🎗️ (@JoosyJew) February 10, 2024
(🔊Sound on 🔊) pic.twitter.com/DeIu63YBsk
However, this denial was met with skepticism from the Israeli defense ministry's office responsible for Gaza affairs, which accused senior U.N. officials, including those from UNRWA, of ignoring previous warnings about Hamas's exploitation of UNRWA facilities for military purposes. This office's statement underscored a disregard for the facts presented by Israeli authorities, which now complicates UNRWA's position.
The situation has put UNRWA in a precarious position, especially as it faces funding challenges. Following the IDF's disclosure that several UNRWA employees were implicated in terrorist activities on October 7, major donor nations have suspended their financial support. This development underscores the broader criticism that the U.N. and its agencies have been negligent in preventing Hamas's infiltration and misuse of international humanitarian platforms for terroristic endeavors.
Imagine you find lots of cables in your server room, connected to the main power supply, and all go down beneath the floor to some unknown destination.
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) February 11, 2024
What do you do? Nothing, according to head of @UNRWA. You simply “didn't know” anything about the tunnel underneath 🤡 pic.twitter.com/XnskggQ8bZ
Amid these developments, the U.S. State Department announced a redirection of funds initially allocated for UNRWA to other international aid organizations operating in the region, such as the World Food Program and UNICEF. This decision follows a significant investment by the Biden administration, which contributed over $1 billion to UNRWA between 2021 and the preceding month.
These events have ignited a global conversation about the accountability and responsibilities of international aid organizations in conflict zones, particularly regarding their potential exploitation by terrorist groups. The controversy surrounding UNRWA's alleged oversight failures not only jeopardizes its funding but also raises critical concerns about the efficacy and integrity of U.N. agencies in managing humanitarian operations amidst complex geopolitical conflicts.
