“UNRWA did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza,” United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.
Lazzarini’s statement came in response to the IDF discovery indicating that a Hamas tunnel, powered by UNRWA electric infrastructure, ran underneath UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters.
During the IDF raid on the UNRWA headquarters itself, the IDF reported finding guns, ammunition, grenades, and other explosives inside the offices of the building.
- UNRWA did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza.- UNRWA is made aware of reports through the media regarding a tunnel under the UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza.- UNRWA staff left its headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October following the Israeli evacuation orders and as…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) February 10, 2024
The UNRWA chief stated that the UN organization had been notified of the reports of a tunnel under the body’s Gaza headquarters.
“UNRWA staff left its headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October following the Israeli evacuation orders and as bombardment intensified in the area,” Lazzarini wrote. “We have not used that compound since we left it nor are we aware of any activity that may have taken place there.
While the commissioner-general refrained from confirming the IDF report, he did not reject it.
“In times of “no active conflict” UNRWA inspects inside its premises every quarter, the last inspection for the UNRWA Gaza premises was completed in September 2023,” Lazzarini continued. “UNRWA is a Human development and humanitarian organisation that does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises.”
UNRWA denial met with disbelief
UNRWA’s denial of knowledge of the presence of Hamas infrastructure was met with an outpouring of skepticism and cynicism.
IDF spokesperson, Lt.-Col. (R) Peter Lerner replied to Lazzarini on X, stating, “All UNRWA, @UNLazzarini, @TomWhiteGaza needed to do was check the power and water bills.”
All @UNRWA, @UNLazzarini @TomWhiteGaza needed to do was check the power and water bills. Here’s a free media lesson: You should have started this tweet like this: “I am extremely concerned / alarmed with the reports being made public about the alleged abuse of the sanctity of… https://t.co/gGrPWYC3M1
— Lt. Col. (R) Peter Lerner (@LTCPeterLerner) February 10, 2024
He went on to question whether the commissioner general of UNRWA intended to condemn Hamas for endangering their operations.
"The exposure of UNRWA's Gaza headquarters' deep involvement with Hamas, including its use for terror activities and as an access point to terror tunnels, requires immediate action,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted on X. “Commissioner-General Lazzarini's claim of unawareness is not only absurd but also an affront to common sense. His prompt resignation is imperative."
Also in response to Lazzarini’s denial of knowledge of Hamas infrastructure beneath Gaza’s UNRWA headquarters, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) wrote on X, "Oh, you knew. Digging a tunnel takes longer than 4 months. We invited senior @UN officials to see, and during past meetings with you and other UN officials, we stated Hamas’s use of UNRWA's headquarters. You chose to ignore the facts so you can later try and deny them."
Oh, you knew. Digging a tunnel takes longer than 4 months. We invited senior @UN officials to see, and during past meetings with you and other UN officials, we stated Hamas’s use of UNRWA's headquarters.You chose to ignore the facts so you can later try and deny them. https://t.co/EIliKpDi5h
— COGAT (@cogatonline) February 10, 2024
Israel's ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan called on Lazzarini to "Take responsibility and resign today!
"It’s not that you didn’t know, it’s that you didn’t WANT to know. We exposed terror tunnels under UNRWA schools and supplied evidence that Hamas’s exploits UNRWA. We implored you to carry out a comprehensive search of all UNRWA facilities in Gaza. But not only did you refuse, you chose to stick your head in the sand."
Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Subcommittee for Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy, MK Ze'ev Elkin, wrote on X that "UNRWA serves as one of the arms of Hamas's civil government in Gaza, and its facilities have become bases for storing weapons and building terror tunnels for Hamas. It is time to change this reality immediately both in the field and in an active political campaign.”
Jacob Laznik contributed to this report