UN slams Rubio's claim of UNRWA becoming 'subsidiary of Hamas'

The UN has rejected remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accused the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) of becoming "a subsidiary of Hamas".

"You've already heard us talk about how UNRWA is not linked to Hamas," deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told the reporters on Friday.

His remarks came after Rubio told the reporters in Israel that the UN is on the ground in Gaza, but UNRWA is "not going to play any role" in the aid, rehabilitation and overall peace process in the Palestinian territory, describing it as a "subsidiary of Hamas".

Haq dismissed Rubio’s characterisation, reiterating that UNRWA plays a crucial humanitarian role and is the backbone of humanitarian operations in Gaza.

"There was a small number of staff members of UNRWA who were credibly linked to Hamas, and we have handled that situation and fired those personnel. Others were not found to have any links, or there was no evidence provided to back up any allegations," he said.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday that Israel is obliged under the Geneva Convention to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by third states and impartial humanitarian groups, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the UNRWA, to ensure that sufficient aid reaches Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday also welcomed the ICJ ruling and "strongly" urged Israel to comply with its obligations in relation to the presence and activities of the UN and other humanitarian actors in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in accordance with the advisory opinion.

More than 300 staff members of UNRWA have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023.

Before October 7, 2023, UNRWA was delivering food aid to over 1.2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

In January, Israel enacted a ban on UNRWA operations in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

In February, UNRWA released a report titled “UNRWA: Claims Versus Facts”, aimed at debunking Israeli propaganda against the agency and reaffirming its commitment to neutrality in Gaza.

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Source: TRT