Australia pauses UN agency funding after staff accused of involvement in 7 October attack

Penny Wong said Australia will "temporarily pause disbursement of recently announced funding", as the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees investigates allegations some of its staff "may have been involved with" the 7 October attacks on Israel.

The UNRWA has fired staff accused of involvement in the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas, and is investigating claims against them. Source: Getty / NurPhoto

Key Points

• Penny Wong has announced Australia will "temporarily pause" funding to the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees.
• The agency has launched an investigation into allegations of staff involvement in the 7 October attack on Israel.
• The UNRWA's commissioner-general said it had terminated the contracts of staff members who have been accused.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia will "temporarily pause" funding to the United Nations' agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Wong said on Saturday that Australia is "deeply concerned" by allegations some staff at UNRWA "may have been involved" in Hamas' 7 October assault on Israel.

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has opened an investigation into several employees suspected of involvement in the attacks, and that it had severed ties with those staff members.

"The Israeli authorities have provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7," said Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general, on Friday.

"To protect the agency's ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay."

A UN truck brings food supplies to Palestinian citizens staying in one of the UNRWA schools in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Source: Getty / Abed Rahim Khatib/DPA

Wong said Australia welcomed UNRWA's response in terminating contracts and launching an investigation.

She added that Australia will "engage closely with UNRWA on investigation" and is consulting with international partners.

"While we do this, we will temporarily pause disbursement of recently announced funding."

"UNRWA does vital, life saving work. It is providing essential services in Gaza directly to those who need it, with more than 1.4 million Palestinians currently sheltering in its facilities," Wong added.

Wong acknowledged that UNRWA does "vital, life saving work" while announcing Australia will "temporarily pause disbursement of recently announced funding" for the agency. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS/AAPIMAGE

"Australia will continue to support the people of Gaza and work to provide humanitarian assistance. We reiterate our calls for civilians to be protected, and for humanitarian access."

Australia joins the United States in pausing funding to the agency, after US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said it would halt "additional funding" while it reviews the allegations.

Lazzarini did not disclose the number of employees allegedly involved in the attacks, nor the nature of their alleged involvement.

He said, however, that "any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror" would be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.

Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, has been briefed about the allegations, his spokesperson said.

"The Secretary-General is horrified by this news," said spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

Dujarric added that the UN chief had asked Lazzarini to conduct an investigation to ensure that any UNRWA employee shown to have participated or abetted the 7 October attacks be terminated immediately and referred for potential criminal prosecution.

"An urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA will be conducted," Dujarric added

UNRWA has stressed its capacity to provide adequate humanitarian assistance had been limited since Israel's bombardment started. Source: Getty / Ahmad Hasaballah

UNRWA, whose biggest donors in 2022 included the United States, Germany and the European Union, has repeatedly said its capacity to render humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza is on the verge of collapse.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said it would "assess further steps and draw lessons based on the result of the full and comprehensive investigation".

UNRWA, established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, provides services including schooling, primary healthcare and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

Israeli authorities, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have accused the agency of fuelling anti-Israeli incitement, allegations it denies.

1,200 people were killed in Hamas' 7 October attacks on southern Israel, with 240 taken hostage. Israel's retaliatory bombardment of Gaza has killed 26,000, according to the Gaza health ministry, with up to 1.9 million of its 2.3 million population displaced.