Written by via cnn.com
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) fired several employees in the wake of the allegations, which have not been made public.
UNRWA’s main donor the US is among several countries to pause funding to the organization in the wake of the allegations, which employs around 13,000 people in Gaza, as humanitarian disaster spirals in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Here’s what we know.
What is UNRWA?
UNRWA was established by the United Nations after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war to provide humanitarian assistance for displaced Palestinians.
The organization characterizes Palestinian refugees as any “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 War.”
Those who fit that definition now number 5.9 million, made up largely of the descendants of original refugees. Israel has rejected the possibility of allowing the displaced Palestinians to return home, arguing that the move would change the country’s Jewish character.
Since its establishment, the United Nations’ General Assembly – a voting body of all member states – has repeatedly renewed UNRWA’s mandate. The agency has provided aid to four generations of Palestine refugees, according to its website, covering education, healthcare, camp infrastructure, social services and emergency assistance, including in times of conflict.
At least 152 UNRWA staffers have been killed in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began, according to the agency.
What are the allegations?
Details remain scant. Neither Israel nor UNRWA have specified the nature of the alleged involvement of UNRWA employees in the events of October 7.
An Israeli official told CNN on Friday that Israel shared information about 12 staffers allegedly involved in the October 7 attacks both with UNRWA and the US.