(PatriotWise.com) — Dozens of Israeli citizens filed a lawsuit on June 24 in a Manhattan federal court accusing the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA of aiding and abetting the October 7 terrorist attacks.
The plaintiffs allege that UNRWA workers aided and abetted Hamas in its attacks on Israel and accuse the agency of committing torture and other “crimes against humanity” during the “genocide” on October 7.
The lawsuit argues that the UN agency violated international law as well as the 1991 Torture Victims Protection Act.
In late January, Israeli intelligence officials presented evidence showing that at least a dozen UNRWA workers participated in the attacks, including seven who crossed into Israel on October 7 with Hamas fighters to carry out the attacks. Two of those workers even took part in abducting Israeli civilians and taking them to Gaza.
Following the allegations, several Western countries, including the United States, temporarily suspended funding to UNRWA
UNRWA said in a February statement that it took the allegations against its workers seriously and announced that 10 of the individuals accused by Israel had been fired. The other two were already dead.
The agency has not commented on the lawsuit.
Among the defendants named are current and former UNRWA officials, including Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.
The plaintiffs in the suit include over 100 Israelis who either survived the October 7 attacks or are family members of those who were killed.
The lawsuit accuses UNRWA of providing material support to Hamas by allegedly sending over $1 billion from a Manhattan bank to the Iranian-backed terror group, which used the money for weapons, ammunition, and explosives.
It also accuses the agency of giving Hamas “safe harbor” in its Gaza facilities and using Hamas-endorsed school books to indoctrinate the children in Gaza to support violence against Jews and Israel.
The lawsuit also maintains that UNRWA officials were aware that Hamas planned to attack Israel on October 7, even if the agency did not know the specifics.
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