Employees accused of taking part in the Hamas-led 7 October attack on Israel “betrayed” the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, the group’s Gaza chief has told Sky News.

The UK and US are among 16 countries that have suspended funding to the UN’s relief agency in Gaza (UNRWA) following Israeli accusations that 12 employees were involved in the assault.

Speaking to The World with Yalda Hakim, Tom White said he was shocked by the allegations, which led to the staff being immediately fired.

Middle East latest as Hamas submits response to proposed ceasefire

“We are very clear with our staff and it’s in the contract they sign with UNRWA that they work as humanitarians and any sort of militant activity is totally incompatible with their work,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to a large number of our staff in the last few days, Palestinian staff, and equally they are shocked by the actions of this small group.

“Essentially, they’ve betrayed the organisation, they’ve betrayed their mission as humanitarians and they’ve betrayed the Palestinians themselves and compromised this vital aid operation.”

Israel’s claims came as the country faced a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war on Gaza, and after years of it calling for the agency to be disbanded.

Mr White said they share a list of staff working in Gaza with Israel every 12 months, but concerns had never been raised.

While the allegations shock Mr White, he said only a small fraction of its 13,000-strong workforce are accused and that withdrawing funds would be “absolutely catastrophic”.

“If we run out of funds, the aid operation here will collapse and that will be absolutely catastrophic for the people of Gaza,” he said, adding the agency feeds 350,000 families and administers vaccines.

He spoke the day after accusing Israel of striking a UNRWA aid convoy, which was waiting on the coastal road in Gaza for the green light from Israel to deliver aid to the north of the enclave.

“It is exceptionally dangerous to deliver aid in Gaza,” he added.

“People in the north have not had an aid convoy with food for over 10 days.”

More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are now hemmed into Rafah, in the south, with Israel threatening to storm the area when it finishes a battle in Khan Younis just north of it.

Read more:
Irish-Israeli former hostage, 9, ‘threatened with knife’ during ordeal
McDonald’s sales dented as Israel-Hamas war boycotts bite

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says 27,585 people have been killed by Israel in Gaza since 7 October, with another 66,978 wounded.

Those figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters, while Israel says 1,200 people were killed on 7 October, with more than 200 taken hostage.

Related posts:

More protests in India following arrest of climate activist EU threatens to block COVID jab exports to UK and other countries with high vaccination rates Footballers told to stop moving sponsors’ drinks at Euro 2020 news conferences Toddler found alone, crying and hundreds of miles from home is reunited with his family Dominican Republic starts work on border wall with Haiti Putin recognises breakaway regions in Ukraine as independent – bringing war a step closer Anoosheh Ashoori says he ‘will not be quiet’ until other dual nationals in Iranian prisons are free Dozens kept in church basement awaiting second coming of Christ freed by police Senior Islamic Jihad commander killed in Israeli airstrike, says Palestine Actor Jonathan Majors arrested on assault charge in New York Shakira faces new investigation over alleged tax fraud in Spain Government will do ‘whatever it takes’ to implement Rwanda deportation plan – minister