‘Cannot Be Trusted’: Israeli Official Accuses UN Of ‘Covering Up’ Hamas Tunnels When Pushed For UNWRA Claim Evidence
Pressed on whether the country had any “direct evidence” for its allegations that United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) workers participated in Hamas’ attack on October 7, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy told Channel 4 News that United Nations “cannot be trusted” and he was “unaware” what evidence was passed on.
The only public case for Israel’s allegations that some UNWRA staff were complicit in the Hamas attacks, was made in a six-page intelligence document that multiple news organisations have argued stops short of providing concrete proof.
Nevertheless, multiple countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany and the UK, cut funding with immediate effect in a move UNWRA said risks collapsing its humanitarian aid mission in Gaza and pushing millions of displaced Palestianians to the brink of starvation.
Host Krishnan Guru-Murthy began: “There were huge consequences as a result of your naming of people who worked for UNRWA. What the world has not seen is the accompanying evidence.”
“I just want to know,” he continued, “is there accompanying evidence? Is there anything beyond those names? And have you shared it with the United Nations investigation that is going on? Because there are millions of pounds of aid that are resting on those claims and there are hundreds of thousands of lives dependent on it.”
Levy replied: “When we said that UNRWA, at least 13 UNRWA staff members, and that’s apart from the thousands of UNRWA graduates, but the 13 UNRWA staff members were directly involved in the October 7th massacre, that was the tip of the iceberg.”
“Do you have any evidence for that?” the host asked.
Levy continued: “Of course, because this was all collected on the basis of intelligence that has been shared with our allies.”
Guru-Murthy repeated his question as Levy tried to speak. He rounded: “When was it shared with Britain? Because Britain claimed it didn’t know.”
The Israeli spokesman said: “I can’t speak to the specific intelligence that has been shared with individual western partners, but that evidence is out there it is clear…”
Guru-Murthy pressed again: “Is there direct evidence about those 13 names? Where is it? Have you passed it to the investigation or not?”
“We do not trust the UN investigation that is taking place. The UN cannot…” Levy said.
“So you haven’t. So, there is no evidence that you have placed in front of the investigations,” the host interrupted.
“The United Nations…” Levy added. “The United Nations, which has been covering up the Hamas presence literally 20 metres underneath the UN headquarters in Gaza, cannot be trusted to conduct any sort of internal review.”
When asked one more time what evidence had been passed to the UK and US governments that would justify their suspension of funding, Levy replied that he was not “personally aware” of what material had been passed to intelligence agencies.
