UN Secretary-General António Guterres has established an independent panel to evaluate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which aids Palestinian refugees.
This decision follows allegations that staff were implicated in attacks against Israel on October 7.
Catherine Colonna, Ex-French Foreign Minister, will head the group, collaborating with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Chr. Michelsen Institute, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights, to ensure UNRWA’s commitment to neutrality and properly address any serious infractions.
The review, initiated by UNRWA Commissioner-General's request, begins February 14, with a preliminary report due in late March and the final one in late April, both to be publicly released.
This inquiry runs concurrently with a UN probe into 12 UNRWA staff's alleged involvement in the incidents.
UNRWA faces immense pressure delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza, as funding cuts from 16 donor nations threaten its operations. Guterres emphasized Israeli authorities' critical role in the success of the upcoming investigation.
The panel will scrutinize UNRWA's existing protocols to maintain neutrality and manage risks within its complex working conditions, and it will suggest improvements to ensure these measures are effectively enforced.