New allegations against the UN aid organization in Gaza – the night update Vegans are less likely to get Corona

The scandal surrounding the alleged involvement of some employees of the UN Palestinian Relief Organization in the massacre by the Islamist Hamas in Israel is becoming increasingly widespread. About ten percent of all 12,000 UNRWA aid workers working in the Gaza Strip have ties to Hamas or Islamist Jihad, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing an Israeli secret service dossier.

Meanwhile, talks on a possible new ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of more hostages are expected to continue this week. While Washington has been cautiously optimistic so far, Hamas said Monday night, according to Israeli media reports, that it would not accept any deal that would not end the war and the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza.

Blinken: UNRWA plays an indispensable role

The charges against twelve UNRWA employees for their alleged involvement in the Hamas massacre sparked worldwide outrage. In response, numerous countries have temporarily halted payments to the aid agency, including Germany, the US, Britain and France. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken again called for quick clarification. The aid agency plays “an absolutely essential role in ensuring that the men, women and children who so urgently need help in Gaza actually get it,” Blinken said in Washington on Monday.

Israeli Ambassador: UNRWA is in cahoots with terrorists

The UN aid agency has fired the employees and wants to investigate the allegations. “UNRWA’s problem is not just ‘a few bad apples’ involved in the October 7 massacre,” the Wall Street Journal quoted a senior Israeli government official as saying. “The institution as a whole is a haven for Hamas’ radical ideology,” the official said. “UNRWA has been in cahoots with the terrorists for a long time,” Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor told “Tagesspiegel” (Tuesday). The attackers of the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre were graduates of UN aid agencies schools.

US: does not want war with Iran

Meanwhile, following the deadly attack by pro-Iranian militias on US military personnel in Jordan, the US government has made it clear that it will not pursue an escalation with Iran. “We are not looking for a war with Iran. “We do not seek conflict with the regime through military means,” John Kirby, communications director for the National Security Council, said in Washington on Monday. They don’t want another war or escalation. “But we will do what is necessary to protect ourselves, continue this mission and respond appropriately to these attacks.”

On Sunday, three US soldiers were killed in a drone strike by pro-Iranian militias in Jordan, near the Syrian border. US President Joe Biden blamed “radical Iranian-backed militant groups” for the attack and threatened retaliation. According to the Wall Street Journal, US government officials said military strikes on militias in Iraq, Syria and possibly Iran were being considered. However, an attack on Iranian territory is a less likely scenario, it was said.

US cautiously optimistic about Gaza war

Meanwhile, the US was cautiously optimistic about a possible new ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of more hostages. “We can’t talk about an imminent agreement yet, but based on the discussions we’ve had this weekend and in recent days, we feel like things are moving in the right direction,” the National Security Council’s communications director said , John. Kirby, Monday in Washington.

Last weekend, representatives of the US, Israel, Egypt and Qatar discussed a new ceasefire in Paris. Good progress has been made to at least lay the foundation for a way forward, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told US broadcaster MSNBC.

Before the talks, there was a clear demand for a permanent ceasefire – this possibility exists, Al Thani said. According to the Times of Israel, Hamas urged in a joint statement with the terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on Monday evening that Israel must end its “aggression” and withdraw from Gaza before an agreement can be reached. According to estimates, just over 130 people are still in the hands of the Islamists.

Israel: At least a quarter of Hamas eliminated

According to Israeli reports, at least half of Hamas fighters have now been killed or wounded. “We have already eliminated at least a quarter of Hamas terrorists, and there are a similar number of wounded terrorists,” Defense Minister Joav Galant said on Monday. His information cannot be independently verified at this time. As the news portal Axios reported on Monday, citing four US and Israeli officials, Galant assured the US government that he and the military would prevent the Israelis from repopulating Gaza. A planned buffer zone in the area will be temporary and serve safety purposes only.

Blinken: The situation in the Middle East is more dangerous than it has been for a long time

According to US Secretary of State Blinken, the situation in the Middle East is more dangerous than it has been for a long time. “I maintain that we have not experienced such a dangerous situation across the entire region since at least 1973 – perhaps even before that,” Blinken said at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday in Washington. With the year he probably referred to the Yom Kippur War, which started on October 6, 1973, when an alliance of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria unexpectedly attacked Israel. At that time, more than 2,600 Israeli soldiers were killed and more than 7,000 were injured.

What will be important on Tuesday

The UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, is in Israel talking to survivors of the Hamas massacre. According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, meetings are also planned with witnesses, victim support experts and representatives of police and security forces who will tell them about Hamas’s sexual violence against women and men. (sda/dpa)