Days before Trump halted funding, ex-Israeli hostage reveals she was held at UNRWA school in Gaza

After the release of British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, she and her mother, Mandy, revealed Emily was held captive in a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) center in Gaza, a location tied to Hamas operations. 

During a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Emily, 28, and Mandy described how Emily was denied proper medical care while being detained in one of UNRWA’s schools, where Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) later discovered tunnels and ammunition linked to Hamas. 

Emily was abducted Oct. 7, 2023, by Hamas terrorists who shot her in the hand and leg. She was denied treatment, with only an outdated bottle of iodine provided as medical aid. The IDF’s discovery of Hamas infrastructure beneath UNRWA buildings, including tunnels linked to terror activities, has raised serious concerns about the agency’s role in Gaza. 

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Emily Damari, right, and her mother Mandy are seen near kibbutz Reim, southern Israel after Emily was released from captivity by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, on Sunday, Jan. 19. (AP/Israeli Army)

Emily and Mandy emphasized the need for international pressure on Hamas and UNRWA to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to the remaining 82 hostages.

“We are asking for maximum pressure to be placed on Hamas and UNRWA to allow the ICRC access to the remaining hostages,” Mandy Damari told Starmer. “The suffering is far from over for those still in captivity, many of whom are elderly or severely injured.” 

This followed revelations the U.K. government is still an active supporter of the controversial U.N. agency.

Released hostages Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, wearing green, are greeted by Israeli soldiers after their arrival in Israel after being held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack. ( Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Reuters)

Last week, President Donald Trump reinforced his administration’s stance on UNRWA by continuing a freeze on U.S. funding to the agency. Trump’s decision, initially enacted during his first term, remains in effect amid ongoing investigations into the agency’s ties to Hamas. This move reflects growing concerns over UNRWA’s failure to meet international standards of neutrality and accountability.

The troubling allegations of UNRWA facilities being used by Hamas to hold hostages emerged early in the crisis, but the U.N. and UNRWA initially dismissed the claims. Despite growing evidence, both have been criticized for their slow response. 

When the accusations surfaced, the U.N. dismissed them as “big accusations,” failing to conduct a thorough investigation. It wasn’t until significant public pressure mounted that UNRWA, in a tweet Jan. 21, acknowledged the claims and said it was taking them “extremely seriously.”

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s commissioner-general, expressed relief at Emily’s release in his Jan. 21 tweet but continued to downplay the gravity of the allegations. 

“Claims that hostages have been held in UNRWA premises are deeply disturbing & shocking. We take any such allegations extremely seriously,” Lazzarini wrote.

However, Lazzarini also said UNRWA was forced to vacate its northern Gaza facilities, including those in Gaza City, Oct. 13, 2023, and had no control over them after military evacuation orders were issued. 

He added, “UNRWA has not been involved in any negotiation related to hostage release as it is not within its mandate.”

Photos released by the Israeli Defense Force show three individuals the Israeli military claims are Hamas terrorists inside an UNRWA compound in Rafah. (IDF)

Peter Gallo, a former U.N. investigator, questioned his statement. 

“So who has control? UNRWA has 12,000 staff in Gaza, and the agency has been begging for money and aid to support people sheltering in its premises. Does UNRWA want it both ways? Yes, they want funding to support those in the facilities, but they also claim no responsibility for what goes on inside them,” Gallo said.

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“Somebody must have been distributing — even if it was just two sacks of potatoes among 1,000 people. Somebody must have been reporting the conditions, the numbers of people in these facilities while UNRWA tried to function. And you’re trying to tell me that nobody knew about a young Israeli woman with gunshot injuries? We didn’t know where she came from?” Gallo added, emphasizing the inconsistency in UNRWA’s position.

The continued lack of transparency and accountability from both the U.N. and UNRWA in response to the allegations has drawn widespread criticism. Gallo has heavily criticized the internal investigation carried out by UNRWA, describing it as a “farce.” 

“The U.N. investigation FAILED to actually prove that ANY of them were involved in acts of terrorism,” Gallo said. 

He claimed the staff members who were “fired” by the U.N. after being seen on cameras participating in the Oct. 7 massacre were not actually terminated for misconduct. Instead, they were made redundant and received severance payments. 

“You’ve had U.N. staff members engaged in crimes, crimes recognized by the ICC as crimes against humanity, and the U.N. is now going to give them a severance package because they were dismissed from their positions,” Gallo said.

A U.N. vehicle enters the UNRWA offices in Jerusalem April 2, 2024.  (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS)

While an UNRWA spokesperson did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions on Gallo’s allegations, Lazzarini released a statement Friday in response to critics.

“UNRWA has the most robust systems in place to ensure adherence to neutrality compared to other similar UN organizations and entities,” Lazzarini said. “This applies to both the Agency’s staff and our programs across the region, as confirmed by an independent review conducted last year under the leadership of France’s former foreign minister. 

“Safeguarding the Agency’s neutrality is central to our ability to continue delivering lifesaving aid in Gaza, as well as education and primary health services across the region. As one of the largest U.N. agencies in the world, UNRWA is committed to U.N. values and principles, which strengthens our response during one of the most challenging periods in the history of the Palestinian people. We remain dedicated to staying and delivering.”

Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East during a press conference in Geneva Jan. 24, 2023 (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

Yona Schiffmiller, director of research at NGO Monitor, further illuminated Hamas’ involvement in the humanitarian aid process. 

“Hamas used the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD) to direct aid distribution. The head of MoSD, Ghazi Hamad, who was recently designated by the U.S. Treasury as a Hamas leader, met with U.N. officials and international NGOs while promoting Hamas interests,” Schiffmiller explained. 

“The data from MoSD influenced aid distribution across various organizations, solidifying Hamas’ grip on Gaza’s humanitarian aid. We’ve got pictures of Hamad meeting with U.N. officials, and if you look closely in the background, you can actually see the Hamas logo on the map on the wall where they’re meeting.”

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The Israeli Knesset passed legislation banning UNRWA from operating in Israel, which took effect at the end of January. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its position on UNRWA’s ties to terrorism.

“Humanitarian aid doesn’t equal UNRWA, and UNRWA doesn’t equal humanitarian aid. UNRWA equals an organization infested with Hamas terror activity,” its statement said. “Israel remains committed to facilitating humanitarian aid through alternative organizations that are independent and not complicit in terror.”