The United Nations is looking to reassure donors with more than a dozen countries having suspended their funding to UNRWA as a result of allegations that 12 out of the 13,000 or so UN employees in Gaza may have taken part in the attacks on Israel on October 7.
At a time when more aid, not less aid, is needed in Gaza, the UN announcing the formation of this independent review committee to look at whether UNRWA is doing everything in its power to ensure neutrality amongst its employees, whether or not there have been breaches, and how those are being handled.
This is happening at the same time as another investigation by the OIOS – the Office of Internal Oversight Services – which is looking specifically at the allegations against those 12 employees.
Again, an attempt to reassure UN member states and re-ignite donations to UNRWA at a time when needs on the ground are growing exponentially.
Typically, investigations like this at the United Nations can take months and months.
But we are seeing very much a fast track here with some results expected from this new committee as soon as mid-April.
