UNRWA sued by Israeli victims of October 7 Hamas attack
- UN Palestinian refugee agency sued for ‘aiding and abetting Hamas’ genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture’
The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency was sued on Monday by dozens of Israelis who accused it of aiding and abetting the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
In a complaint filed with the US District Court in Manhattan, the plaintiffs said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) spent more than a decade helping Hamas build what they called the “terror infrastructure” and personnel needed for the attack.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages for what they allege was UNRWA’s “aiding and abetting Hamas’ genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture”, which they said violated international law and the federal Torture Victim Protection Act.
UNRWA declined to comment, saying it had yet to be served with the lawsuit.
The agency has said it takes accusations of staff misconduct seriously, and terminated 10 staff members accused by Israel of involvement in the attack. Two others died, it has said.