UNRWA scrutiny grows after IDF finds tunnel network under agency’s Gaza HQ

[LAUREN TAYLOR] 

INTERNATIONAL SCRUTINY OF A U-N ORGANIZATION SET UP TO HELP PALESTINIAN REFUGEES CONTINUES TO GROW.

ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES UNCOVERED WHAT THEY’RE CALLING A HAMAS TUNNEL NETWORK –

UNDERNEATH THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES HEADQUARTERS IN GAZA.

OVER THE WEEKEND THE IDF SAYING TROOPS FOUND A TUNNEL SHAFT NEAR AN UNRWA SCHOOL – LEADING TO AN UNDERGROUND TUNNEL JUST BENEATH UNRWA’S HEADQUARTERS.

(Lt. Col. Ido / ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES)

“We want every international to organization to work in Gaza. They are not our problem. Our problem is the Hamas, the Hamas working in the UNRWA and under the UNRWA. We will show you now what we found for the last two weeks that we’ve been here.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR] 

THE TUNNEL IS 700 METERS LONG AND 18 METERS DEEP… CONTAINING “MULTIPLE BLAST DOORS AND VARIOUS INTELLIGENCE ASSETS SEIZED BY THE FORCES”

INSIDE – SOLDIERS SAID THEY FOUND HAMAS OFFICES – STOCKED WITH RIFLES, AMMUNITION, GRENADES, AND EXPLOSIVES.

THE IDF ALSO SAYING ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE TUNNEL WAS CONNECTED TO UNRWA’S MAIN HEADQUARTERS ABOVE. THE ISRAELI MILITARY SUGGESTING UNRWA SUPPLIED HAMAS WITH ELECTRICITY INSIDE THE TUNNEL – WHICH WAS GENERATED BY FUEL – PROVIDED THROUGH HUMANITARIAN AID.

ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS —

THEIR JOURNALISTS STOOD IN THE UNRWA HEADQUARTERS BUILDING –

AND ROOM FULL OF COMPUTERS – AND THEY COULD SEE WIRES CONNECTING UNDERGROUND.

Israeli Defense Forces calling this Hamas’ data center – powered by the UNRWA electrical supply.

(Lt. Col. Ido / ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES)

“Twenty meters above us is the UNRWA headquarters. This is the electricity room, you can see all around here the batteries, the electricity on walls, everything is conducted from here, all the energy for the tunnels which you walked though are powered from here.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR] 

UNRWA OFFICIALS SAID THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNDERGROUND HAMAS FACILITIES – AND THAT THE FINDINGS WARRANT AN “INDEPENDENT INQUIRY” 

THE ORGANIZATION IS ALREADY FACING MOUNTING SCRUTINY AFTER ALLEGATIONS SURFACED – THAT 12 OF ITS STAFF MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE OCTOBER 7TH HAMAS TERROR ATTACK WHEN HAMAS MILITANTS KILLED 1,200 PEOPLE AND TOOK MORE THAN 240 HOSTAGES. 

UNRWA OFFICIALS SAID 10 OF THOSE 12 EMPLOYEES WERE FIRED – AND TWO OTHERS WERE DEAD BEFORE THE ISRAELI CLAIMS.

According to an Israeli intelligence dossier released at the end of January –  at least 190 UNRWA employees are “hardened fighters, killers” with 10-percent of the agency’s workforce having ties to militant groups.

THESE CLAIMS PROMPTED DONORS – INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES AND GERMANY — TO SUSPEND THEIR $400 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO THE AGENCY.

LAST WEEK – OFFICIALS WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAID THEY WILL NOT RESUME AID TO UNRWA UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES.

UNRWA IS NOW STRUGGLING TO PROVIDE AID TO MORE THAN A 1.5 MILLION GAZANS TAKING SHELTER IN A TENT CITY IN RAFAH – DISPLACED BY THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR SUFFERING FROM SEVERE SHORTAGES OF FOOD, CLEAN WATER, AND MEDICINE…

AND THE AGENCY’S CHIEF SAYS UNRWA IS “ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE.”

RIGHT NOW – PANIC IS SETTING IN FOR PALESTINIANS LIVING IN RAFAH.

DEADLY ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES HIT THE TINY TERRITORY OVERNIGHT – REIGNITING FEARS THAT THE IDF COULD LAUNCH A GROUND OFFENSIVE IN THE AREA – WITH MORE THAN A MILLION PALESTINIANS HAVING NO WHERE ELSE TO GO.