Former hostage Emily Damari's account of her captivity in a Gaza school operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has intensified scrutiny of the agency's operations and its alleged ties to Hamas. Damari, released in January, recounted to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer how she was held captive in the UNRWA school and denied adequate medical care after being shot by Hamas terrorists in October 2023. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) later discovered tunnels and ammunition linked to Hamas within the same UNRWA facility.
Emily Damari (right) with her mother Mandy after her release. (AP/Israeli Army)
This revelation comes as the U.K. government continues to support UNRWA, despite growing international concern. Former President Donald Trump's freeze on U.S. funding to the agency, implemented during his first term, remains in effect due to ongoing investigations into its alleged Hamas connections.
Released hostages Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari upon their return to Israel. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Reuters)
Both the U.N. and UNRWA initially dismissed the allegations of Hamas using UNRWA facilities to hold hostages. However, mounting public pressure led UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini to acknowledge the claims in a January 21 tweet, though he downplayed their significance, stating that UNRWA had been forced to vacate its northern Gaza facilities in October 2023 following military evacuation orders.
IDF photo allegedly showing Hamas terrorists inside an UNRWA compound. (IDF)
Peter Gallo, a former U.N. investigator, challenged Lazzarini's statement, questioning how UNRWA could claim ignorance of the situation while simultaneously requesting funds to support people sheltering in its facilities. Gallo also criticized UNRWA's internal investigation as a "farce," alleging that staff members identified as participating in the October 7 attacks were not terminated for misconduct but rather received severance payments.
A U.N. vehicle at UNRWA offices in Jerusalem. (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS)
Lazzarini defended UNRWA, asserting its commitment to neutrality and U.N. values, citing an independent review. However, Yona Schiffmiller, director of research at NGO Monitor, highlighted Hamas’ influence on aid distribution in Gaza through the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD), led by Ghazi Hamad, a U.S.-designated Hamas leader.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
Following the Israeli Knesset's ban on UNRWA operations within Israel, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its concerns about the agency’s alleged ties to terrorism, emphasizing its commitment to providing humanitarian aid through alternative channels.
