"UN Agency Alleges Israel's Coercion of Staff into False Confessions about Hamas Ties"

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has accused Israel of detaining and coercing its staffers into making false confessions about ties to Hamas, alleging torture and ill-treatment. Israel has accused at least 12 UNRWA staffers of involvement in a terrorist attack and has alleged that some of its staff are members of Hamas. An unpublished UNRWA report also alleges widespread physical and psychological abuse of Palestinians detained in Gaza by the Israeli military, including UNRWA staff members, with claims of beatings, sleep deprivation, and sexual abuse. The Israeli military has denied the allegations and stated that mistreatment of detainees violates its values and orders. UNRWA estimates that at least 4,000 Gazans have been detained by the Israeli military since the start of the war.