The Israeli military on Tuesday (May 14) released several videos showing armed personnel inside a United Nations facility in southern Gaza. The IDF is currently calling on the United Nations to investigate the matter, while the United Nations responded by saying that its staff had evacuated and abandoned the building.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a drone-shot video on Tuesday showing armed personnel at a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) facility in Rafah in southern Gaza, with a vehicle bearing a UN symbol nearby. The facility is an important aid distribution point, and the video was filmed on May 11, according to the Israeli military.
UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma stated that the agency could not verify the authenticity or content of the video, nor could they confirm the exact time or location, but believed that it “likely” showed a warehouse evacuated by UNRWA last week.
She mentioned that after Israel ordered the evacuation before the Israeli military took control of the Rafah crossing on Gaza’s side, UNRWA abandoned the facility and left behind flour and some vehicles with UN insignia.
“UNRWA condemns any party in the conflict using United Nations facilities for military/combat purposes,” Touma said in a statement, urging all parties to respect the neutrality of UN facilities.
She emphasized that “under no circumstances should anyone possess or use weapons inside United Nations facilities.”
Israel has continuously criticized UNRWA, accusing the United Nations agency of collaborating with Hamas militants in Gaza and calling for the dissolution of the organization.
IDF Chief Spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated that COGAT, the Israeli unit responsible for coordinating humanitarian aid to Gaza, shared the results of the Israeli military’s investigation with “senior international officials,” including UN representatives, and called for a UN investigation into the connection between UNRWA and the “Hamas operatives” appearing near its vehicles.
It is still unclear whether the armed personnel captured by the Israeli military’s drone are Hamas militants or members of other radical organizations in Gaza.
In January of this year, Israel accused UNRWA of having over a dozen individuals involved in an attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7 last year. Following the accusation, at least nine countries, including the United States and Germany, suspended funding to the organization.
An independent review commissioned by the United Nations found that Israel did not provide evidence to support the allegations, but highlighted the need for UNRWA to enhance its neutrality, transparency, and oversight of its personnel.