After the release of British-Israeli hostages Emily Damari, she and her mother, Mandy, that Emily was held imprisoned in a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Center in Gaza, a location bound to Hamas operations.
During a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Emily, 28 and Mandy described how Emily was denied the right medical care while he was held in one of the schools of UNRWA, where Israeli defense groups (IDF) later discovered tunnels and ammunition to Hamas Was linked.
Emily was abducted on October 7, 2023 Hamas -Terrorists Who shot her in the hand and leg. She was refused the treatment, with only an outdated bottle of iodine that is provided as medical help. The discovery of the IDF of Hamas infrastructure under UNRWA buildings, including tunnels related to terror activities, has expressed serious concern about the role of the desk in Gaza.
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Emily Damari, on the right, and her mother Mandy are seen near Kibbutz Reim, Zuid -Resraël after Emily was released from Captivity by Hamas Terrorists in Gaza on Sunday 19 January. (AP/Israeli Army)
Emily and Mandy emphasized the need for international pressure on Hamas and UNRWA to give the International Commission of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to the remaining 82 hostages.
“We ask for maximum pressure on Hamas and UNRWA to give the ICRC access to the Remaining hostages“Mandy Damari told Starmer.” The suffering is not nearly for those who are still in captivity, many of whom are the elderly or seriously injured. ”
This followed on revelations that the British government is still an active proponent of the controversial UN agency.
Hostages released Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, with green, are greeted by Israeli soldiers after their arrival in Israel after they have been held in Gaza in Gaza since 7 October 2023, attack. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Reuters)
Last week, President Donald Trump Strengthened the position of his administration in relation to UNRWA by continuing a freezing of American financing at the agency. Trump’s decision, initially determined during his first term, remains in force in the midst of ongoing investigations into the tires of the agency with Hamas. This step reflects the growing concern about the failure of UNRWA to meet the international standards of neutrality and accountability.
The disturbing allegations of UNRWA facilities used by Hamas to keep hostages hostages emerged early in the crisis, but the UN and UNRWA initially rejected the claims. Despite the growing evidence, both have been criticized because of their slow response.
When the accusations appeared, the UN rejected them as ‘major accusations’, and failed to conduct a thorough investigation. Only when a considerable public pressure was set up that UNRWA, in a tweet January 21, acknowledged the claims and told that it took them ‘extremely seriously’.
Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, expressed lighting at Emily’s release in his tweet of January 21, but continued to play down the gravity of the accusations.
“Claims that hostages are held in UNRWA buildings are deeply disturbing and shocking. We take such accusations extremely seriously,” wrote Lazzarini.
However, Lazzarini also said that UNRWA was forced to leave his northern Gaza facilities, including those in Gaza City, October 13, 2023, and had no control over them after military evacuation were published.
He added: “Unrwa has not been involved in negotiations with regard to hostages, because it is not within his mandate.”
Photos released by the Israeli Defense Force show three individuals The Israeli military claims are Hamas terrorists in an UNRWA compound in Rafah. (IDF)
Peter Gallo, a former UN researcher, doubted his statement.
“So who has control? UNRWA has 12,000 employees in Gaza, and the agency has begged to support money and help to protect people in his buildings. Does UNRWA want to go in both sides? Yes, they want financing to support people in the facilities, but they also claim no responsibility for what happens in them, “Gallo said.
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“Someone must be distributed – even if it was only two bags of potatoes in 1,000 people. Someone must have reported the conditions, the number of people in these facilities while UNRWA tried to function. And you try to tell me nobody knew about a young Israeli Woman with shot wounds added Gallo and emphasized the inconsistency in the position of UNRWA.
The constant lack of transparency and accountability of both the UN and the UNRWA in response to the allegations has received widespread criticism. Gallo has heavily criticized the internal research conducted by UNRWA and describes it as a ‘farce’.
“The UN research could not actually prove that one of them was involved in terrorist deeds,” Gallo said.
He claimed that the employees who were “fired” by the UN after they were seen on cameras who participated in the massacre of 7 October were not actually terminated due to misconduct. Instead, they were made superfluous and received severance payments.
“You have had crimes employees, crimes that are recognized by the ICC as crimes against humanity, and the UN is now going to give them a resignation package because they have been fired from their positions,” Gallo said.
A UN vehicle will be the UNRWA offices in Jerusalem on 2 April 2024. (YOAV Dudkevitch/TPS)
Although a spokesperson for UNRWA did not respond to the questions of Fox News Digital about the allegations of Gallo, Lazzarini released a statement on Friday in response to critics.
“UNRWA has the most robust systems to guarantee the negligence of neutrality compared to other similar UN organizations and entities,” said Lazzarini. “This applies to both the staff of the agency and our programs in the region, as confirmed by an independent assessment that was carried out last year under the leadership of the former Foreign Minister of France.
“Saving the neutrality of the agency is central to our ability to continue to offer life -saving help in Gaza, as well as education and first -line health services in the region. As one of the largest UN agencies in the world, UNRWA is dedicated to UN values ​​and values ​​and Principles that reinforces our reaction during one of the most challenging periods in the history of the Palestinian people.
Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the near Oost during a press conference in Geneva on January 24, 2023 (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty images)
Yona Schiffmiller, director of research at NGO Monitor, further relieves Hamas’ involvement in the humanitarian aid process.
“Hamas used the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD) to send the distribution of help. The head of Mosd, Ghazi Hamad, recently designated by the American Treasury as Hamas leader, met UN officials and international NGOs while he Hamas interests promotes, “Schiffmiller explained.
“The data from MOSD has influenced the help distribution of the help in different organizations, which strengthens Hamas’ grip on the humanitarian help of Gaza. We have photos of Hamad Meeting with UN Civil servants, and if you look closely in the background, you can see the Hamas logo on the map on the wall where they meet. “
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The Israeli Knesset has passed Legislation that prohibits UNRWA Van Operating in Israel, which came into effect at the end of January. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs repeated its position on UNRWA’s ties with terrorism.
“Humanitarian aid is not the same as UNRWA, and UNRWA is not the same as humanitarian aid. UNRWA is the same as an organization that is infected with Hamas terror activity,” said the statement. “Israel remains committed to facilitating humanitarian aid through alternative organizations that are independent and are not complicit in fear.”
