'10 percent' of UN Palestinian refugee agency staff 'have ties to violent Islamist groups'

UP TO ten percent of staff at the UN Palestinian refugee agency have links to violent Islamist groups, it was claimed earlier this evening.

US According to reports, intelligence suggested that 1,200 had militant connections.

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Britain and eight other countries have withdrawn funding amid claims that at least 12 agency employees were involved in the disaster Hamas attack on Israel last October.

Israeli The intelligence agency discovered that seven employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stormed into Israel and two took part in kidnappings.

Another two staffers are said to have attacked communal farming villages, while one was accused of arming himself with an anti-tank missile the night before the attack.

Another worker allegedly took photos of a female Israeli hostage.

UNRWA has fired nine employees, while two of the twelve are dead.

UN chief António Guterres said he was “shocked” by the claims and vowed to take action.

But he urged countries to keep up the donations, adding: “The serious needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.”

UNRWA is the largest UN agency operating in Gaza and employs approximately 13,000 people.

It provides healthcare, education and other humanitarian assistance Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, LebanonAnd Syria.

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