Freeze UNRWA funds to Gaza schools over Hamas attack tunnels, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Erdan urges

"UN funding to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools in Gaza must be frozen as long as Hamas refuses to allow international inspection of the attack tunnels found underneath those educational institutions, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan said on Wednesday.

The UN 'cannot allow its own schools and buildings to be used as a sanctuary for terrorists and terror activity,' Erdan said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

At issue were two Hamas tunnels found in proximity to two UNRWA schools this summer in the aftermath of the 11-Day Gaza war in May, one in Zeitoun and the other in Rafah.

The UN had sent a team from its Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to inspect the area of the tunnels by the schools, which are expected to service some 4,000 students when they open later this month.

Hamas, however, prevented the UNMAS teams from inspecting the area by the Zeitoun school. As a result, the UN canceled the Rafah site visit.

Erdan called on Guterres and 'all relevant UN bodies to condemn Hamas and to freeze all funding of UNRWA’s facilities in Gaza and bar the usage thereof until the completion of a thorough and independent investigation of Hamas’ use and abuse of these institutions to advance its reign of terror.'...”