In Geneva, former hostage’s daughter questions UNRWA funding
In Geneva, Switzerland, Neta Geyman Mina, the daughter of former hostage Ditsa Geyman, spoke at the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council and questioned the continued funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). According to the Jerusalem Post, she spoke of possible links between agency employees and the abductions of people on October 7, 2023.
The speech took place during a panel on human rights education, timed to mark the anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. The event was attended by ambassadors and representatives of UN member states, as well as representatives of human rights and UN-affiliated organizations. Geyman Mina spoke on behalf of the Geneva-based organization UN Watch and the international non-governmental organization Ingénieurs du Monde.
Testimony of the hostage’s daughter
According to Geyman Mina, her mother, who was 84 years old at the time of her abduction, was held in the Gaza Strip for 53 days. She claims that for 48 days, Ditsa Geyman was kept in an attic in harsh conditions and with limited food by an UNRWA teacher named Abed.
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Geyman Mina said she was also aware of other UNRWA employees who, according to her, are linked to the October 7 attack and abductions. She also mentioned Suhail al-Hindi and asked why he supervised 8,000 teachers in Gaza despite his alleged membership in Hamas.
Assessment of UNRWA reforms
On the eve of the event, UN Watch published the report “Report Card on UNRWA Reform” on the implementation of 50 recommendations by an independent group led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. The review was commissioned in early 2024 by UN Secretary-General António Guterres following reports of possible involvement of UNRWA staff in the October 7 attack and abductions.
UNRWA reports that it has completed 41 of the 50 recommended reforms. At the same time, UN Watch claims that no more than 13 recommendations may have been fulfilled in accordance with the established requirements. UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer said that adopting a policy or preparing a plan does not mean their actual implementation. UNRWA was established in 1949; the agency operates in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, providing Palestinians with humanitarian aid and educational services.
