Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher, who were held in captivity for 471 days, were released from Hamas captivity on Sunday as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that saw Israel release 90 terrorists as part of the deal. In parting, they were given "gift bags" by Hamas that included photos of them in captivity.
The women who were taken hostage during the Hamas raid into Israel on Oct 7 said for portions of their captivity they were held in refugee shelters operated by UNRWA, which was first reported by Israel’s Channel 13.
UNRWA in intended to be a UN refugee and humanitarian organization in the Gaza Strip but it has repeatedly been accused of operating schools that are breeding grounds for terrorists, storing terrorist weapons in schools and hospitals, and having employees that participate in terrorist organizations in Gaza and Lebanon, including in the Oct. 7 atrocities. Now, it is alleged that hostages were held in the camps they operate. "Details as to which of the eight camps run by UNRWA in Gaza were used have not been made available," FDD said.
The Israel Foreign Ministry slammed UNRWA’s parent organization saying "The UN refuses to condemn Hamas for hiding hostages in civilian spaces." Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, said regarding a recent report on the group’s activities, “UNRWA isn’t just a bystander in the Arab-Israeli conflict – it’s a primary enabler. By allowing terrorists to infiltrate its ranks and incite violence, UNRWA isn’t promoting peace, they’re perpetuating hatred and war.”
He added, “People need to understand that UNRWA isn’t the firefighter, it’s the arsonist. The US and other Western nations who have given billions to UNRWA need to wake up. Your money is being used to employ terrorists, indoctrinate children, and build the infrastructure of hate and violence. The U.S. alone has given more than $1 billion to UNRWA over the past four years. This is a betrayal of your taxpayers and your values. The time has finally come to dismantle UNRWA, an agency that glorifies terrorism.”
Last year, Stefanik called the UNRWA a "cesspool of antisemitism" after revelations that a Hamas leader in Lebanon had been an employee of the organization. Former Hamas head and architect of the Oct. 7 massacre Yahya Sinwar was also found carrying a UN ID when he was assassinated.
