Exposed: Israel's Alleged Torture of UNRWA Workers Under Custody
Israel faces allegations of mistreating over 50 UN personnel in custody by UNRWA. - Israel alleged for maltreatment of over 50 UN aid workers in detention by UNRWA
Let's cut to the chase: UNRWA, y'all. A UNRWA employee, an' they wanted to kick the bucket just to escape the living nightmare. Why? They got tortured while imprisoned by the Israeli doggone military. And it ain't just this one worker, no sir! Over 50 other UNRWA personnel have gone through the wringer, too.
These unfortunate souls experienced some brutal shit—beaten, forced to become human shields, sleep deprived, humiliated, threatened, and even mauled by dogs. And wouldn't you know it? Some were coerced into make false confessions, too.
Initially, the Israeli military kept mum about these accusations. Fast forward to late January, and Israel suspension of cooperation with UNRWA. Ya see, the Israeli government's accusing UNRWA of harboring employees tied to the radical Islamic Hamas, which perpetrated a massive attack on Israel back on October 7, 2023. Killed around 1200 peeps and took 251 hostages, sparking the Gaza war. 58 people are still held captive by Hamas.
After a 60-day truce, Israel ramped up its airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. Oh, and they blocked all aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip since March 2.
Now, about UNRWA: They're the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Philippe Lazzarini, the big cheese, reported these findings.
References:
- https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-abuse-palestinian-detainees-unrwa-staff-lunged-dogs-tortured
- https://www.apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-united-nations-human-rights-5321c8d5b273b1e8fc74c1faee149e68
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/unrwa-says-7-israeli-arrests-of-its-staff-this-year-are-police-intimidation-2021-10-18/
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/5/israeli-police-raid-gaza-properties-of-unrwa-after-raids-on-its-staff
Philadelphia Lazzarini, the chief of UNRWA, has exposed more alleged abuses against UNRWA workers by Israel's military. As many as 50 UN-helpers have reportedly suffered such abuses, including torture, beatings, sleep deprivation, and forced confessions while in military captivity.
These accusations were initially met with denials by the Israeli government, but cooperation between Israel and UNRWA was suspended in late January. The Israeli government accused UNRWA of harboring employees tied to the radical Islamic group Hamas, which led a large-scale attack on Israel in October 2023.
The Gaza war that followed resulted in the death of around 1200 people and took 251 hostages. Despite a 60-day truce, Israel resumed airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and blocked all aid deliveries as of March 2.
UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, have reported these findings. The ongoing conflicts in the region and the politicization of the issue contribute to the increased crime and injustice, making it a prevalent topic under general news and crime and justice categories in the war-and-conflicts genre.
