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‘Absurd’: UNRWA denies knowledge of tunnel under its own headquarters although it was paying Hamas’ electric bill

UNRWA claims its staff evacuated the headquarters in October and had not used the compound since.

By World Israel News staff

Following the IDF’s recent operations in the Gaza Strip, significant evidence has emerged indicating collaboration between UNRWA and the terrorist group Hamas.

Israeli military officials disclosed that during their operations, they uncovered a tunnel shaft near a UNRWA school, which led to an underground shelter used by Hamas’s military intelligence unit.

The tunnel, measuring 700 meters in length and 18 meters deep, contained constructed side doors leading to various routes.

The IDF discovered that this tunnel network also extended beneath UNRWA’s central headquarters in Gaza.

IDF soldiers found electric infrastructure inside the tunnels connected to UNRWA’s headquarters, proving UNRWA assets were supplying electricity to Hamas.

Based on this evidence and previous intelligence from the Shin Bet, the IDF conducted a raid on the UNRWA headquarters building.

During the raid, the IDF discovered firearms, ammunition, grenades, and explosives within the building’s offices.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini responded to these allegations, denying any knowledge of Hamas’s use of UNRWA assets for terrorist activities.

Lazzarini stated that UNRWA staff evacuated the Gaza City headquarters in October and had not used the compound since.

He also asserted that routine inspections were conducted, with the last inspection completed in September 2023.

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In response to Lazzarini’s statement, Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Israel Katz, demanded his immediate resignation.

Katz deemed Lazzarini’s claim of unawareness absurd and insisted that his resignation was imperative given the evidence of UNRWA’s involvement with Hamas.

The IDF intends to utilize the intelligence gathered from this operation for future raids against Hamas.