Report: Hamas Threatened UNRWA Workers at Gunpoint

Hamas gained use of UNRWA facilities for military operations during the Gaza war through violent intimidation, The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.

UNRWA aid workers were reportedly threatened at gunpoint if they interfered with or informed anyone about the Hamas use of civilian sites to store or lauunch rockets.

Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for UNRWA categorically denied the charges: “I have checked and double-checked with sources in Gaza and there is no evidence of death threats made to UNWRA personnel.”

During Operation Protective Edge, UNRWA did admit publicly to the discovery of rocket caches in their schools in Gaza, though officials maintained they had no prior knowledge of it.

The Post also alleged that deliveries of UNRWA medical supplies and food were hijacked by Hamas operatives for their own use.

Gunness also said this was untrue and insisted that the UNWRA aid system has been proven to be secure.

“The truth is that our neutrality is the family silver and we could not operate in combat zones such as Gaza, or indeed Syria without it, so we guard it jealously,” Gunness remarked .

This article appeared in print on page 10 of the September 12th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.