IDF intelligence implicating 12 UNRWA staff members in the October 7 terror attack was reportedly shared with US officials without the knowledge or approval of senior Israeli military leaders.

According to The New York Times, Amir Weissbrod, a deputy director general at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, presented the intelligence to UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini during a meeting on January 18. Lazzarini deemed the intelligence credible and promptly fired several of the implicated staff members. On January 24, UNRWA briefed US officials on the situation, leading Washington to request additional information from Jerusalem.

However, the IDF was caught off guard by the request, unaware of how the intelligence had been leaked. An internal inquiry has been launched to investigate the breach.

Meanwhile, many military and government officials, including those in the Foreign Ministry, were also surprised by UNRWA’s announcement and subsequent funding suspensions by the US and other countries.

Israel has long criticized UNRWA, alleging ties to Hamas and terror activity, but a senior Israeli official clarified that Jerusalem does not support the agency’s immediate dissolution due to its role in providing humanitarian aid in Gaza, which helps prevent a humanitarian crisis that could hinder IDF operations against Hamas.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)