Second UNRWA teacher helped Hamas hold Israeli hostage, more countries suspend payments

France, Japan and Estonia join growing list of countries to halt funding

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As more evidence of the cooperation between members of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA), and Hamas terrorists comes to light, France, Japan, and Estonia announced on Sunday that they would join the list of countries who will stop funding the UN agency.

Israel provided concrete evidence showing the involvement of 12 UNRWA employees during the invasion and massacre perpetrated by Hamas on Oct. 7, prompting several nations to suspend their payments to the agency tasked with providing 'humanitarian services' and aid to Palestinian refugees, including in Gaza.

So far, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Iceland, France, Japan, and Estonia issued announcements to that effect.

🇪🇪 Estonia, too! 🙌 https://t.co/ldq70DFgAA pic.twitter.com/8wrguMa0d5
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) January 28, 2024

At the end of last November, Israeli media reported that one of the released hostages testified being held by a UNRWA teacher, who moved her between different UNRWA facilities during her captivity.

Israel's local Channel 13 news reported on Sunday that she wasn’t the only hostage being held by a UNRWA employee, as another Israeli hostage has now revealed he was also held by a UNRWA teacher who even taught him some Arabic.

On Monday, the New York Times reported that at least 10 Hamas terrorists were employed by the agency, one of whom kidnapped an Israeli woman, together with his son, and another distributed ammunition for the terror group.

The report is based on the intelligence dossier distributed by Israel and prompted the wave of countries suspending funds to the UNRWA.

The dossier includes evidence that 10 UNRWA employees were members of Hamas and indicates that another employee was affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group in Gaza.

According to the report, Israeli intelligence services gathered the evidence through phone taps, which revealed some employees speaking about their involvement, while others were sent to particular locations during the ongoing attack on Oct. 7, and one was told to bring rocket-propelled grenades being stored in his house.