'UNRWA is Hamas': Hundreds of activists protest Jerusalem UNRWA offices

• Published date: 20 March 2024
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Activists from the Tzav 9 protest movement have repeatedly demonstrated and called for the return of the Gaza hostages

The protest movement has been involved in blocking humanitarian aid trucks at Gaza border crossings. In recent hours, they arrived at UNRWA offices at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem and blocked the entrances to the organization's offices.

In a statement, Tzav 9 noted that "UNRWA knows where the hostages are and refuses to say. We came here to disrupt the organization's activities and demand: bring the hostages home."

The protesters carried signs and rallied around the offices, even replacing UNRWA's sign at the entrance by placing a display written in red that stated "blood on your hands."

This comes amid the ongoing Gaza war and struggles to strike a ceasefire and deal that would see the return of the Gaza hostages. It also comes in the context of Israeli public distrust of UNRWA, an organization that has been investigated, with several members found guilty of having participated in the October 7 massacre in southern Israel, along with ties to Hamas.

In attendance was the grandmother of hostage Elyakim Liebman, who cried out, "You know where he is and where everyone is. You can return him now, along with the other hostages. Why won't you do it? Why don't you help them return to their families? It's been over 160 days, we wait every...