Of the original group of 12 employees accused by Israel of involvement in the 7 October 2023 attacks, Dujarric said eight remain under investigation by OIOS, one case was closed due to lack of evidence and three have been suspended. “One case was closed as Israel did not provide evidence to support the allegations against the staff member. We are exploring possible administrative action in this case,” the spokesperson for António Guterres said. “In addition, three cases have been put on hold as the information provided by Israel is not sufficient for OIOS to proceed with an investigation. UNRWA is considering possible administrative measures pending further investigation,” he added. Regarding the seven other cases that were later brought to the attention of the UN, Stéphane Dujarric explained that one of those cases has also been put on hold pending receipt of additional supporting evidence. “The remaining six cases are currently under investigation by OIOS,” he confirmed. As part of this process, OIOS investigators have travelled to Israel for discussions with the Israeli authorities and a further visit is planned in May. “These discussions are ongoing and so far have been productive and have allowed progress in the investigations,” the spokesperson said. The UN agency, which employs more than 30,000 staff serving some 5.9 million Palestinians in the region, has been accused by Israel of employing “more than 400 terrorists” in the Gaza Strip. Several staff members were accused by the Israelis of being directly involved in the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israeli soil on 7 October 2023, which killed 1,170 people, mostly civilians. The allegations led to the suspension of funding by donor countries, including the United States, although some have since resumed, and the launch of an external audit, alongside an internal probe. The probe concluded that UNRWA in the Gaza Strip lacked political “neutrality”, but said Israel had failed to prove that its staff were linked to Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by the European Union, the United States and Israel. However, the experts also said that the UN agency remained “essential for providing vital humanitarian assistance” in the region. In retaliation for the 7 October attack, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip that has so far claimed more than 34,000 lives, according to Hamas, which has controlled the Palestinian enclave since 2007. The population of the Gaza Strip is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with hospitals overwhelmed, and shortages of clean water, food, medicines and electricity. Read Also: UN estimates 37 million tons of debris and ammunition in Gaza (Portuguese version)