🌏 After ICJ Finds Plausible Case Of Genocide In Gaza, Israel Accuses UN Staff Of Working For Hamas And More

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After the ICJ found a plausible case of genocide, Israel has accused 12 UN workers in Gaza of working for Hamas.

Israel made the accusations against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – also known as UNRWA – around the same time the International Court of Justice began its hearing on South Africa’s case of Israel committing genocide in Gaza.

Even though Israel’s accusations have not been verified, several western countries immediately suspended funding to the UNRWA after the allegations came to light on Jan. 26, the same day the ICJ ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent genocide in Gaza.

UNRWA is the main humanitarian agency in Gaza, and the only one that has been allowed in to deliver aid since Israel began its war that has killed more than 27,000 Palestinians.

An estimated one million Palestinians in Gaza are now seeking shelter at UNRWA schools and centers after being forced from their homes.

The countries that cut funding – including the US, UK, Germany, Japan and Sweden – had been the main source of the agency’s funds.

UNRWA said that two of the accused staff had already been killed by Israel in the war, one person was still being identified, but it has fired the other nine and launched an investigation.

On Monday Jan. 30, Israel said it had shared a document of its “evidence” with the US, but it did not share it with the UN, according to Al Jazeera.

There are now differing reports about the actual number of the staff Israel has accused, with later reports saying it was only 4 workers.

Rights groups such as Amnesty International slammed the western countries’ decision to cut the funding that is supporting 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza over the alleged crimes of just 12 people.

A UN expert said that the decision to suspend funding could violate the Genocide Convention and defies the ICJ’s ruling, which called on Israel to allow aid into Gaza.

Israel has repeatedly targeted UN facilities in Gaza since Oct. 7, killing 152 UNRWA workers, the most killed in the entire history of the UN.

More On The Israel–Hamas War

• Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, called the ruling “outrageous”, saying it is defending itself. He then rejected a ceasefire deal proposed by Hamas to end the war, saying Israel will fight until “total victory.”
• A day after, Joe Biden delivered his sharpest criticism of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, calling them “over the top” but confused Egypt’s president with Mexico’s.
• Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza, who recently evacuated to Qatar, opened up about his decision in a heartbreaking interview.
• Following the ICJ’s ruling, South Africa’s president welcomed the verdict, saying it will keep fighting for justice for Palestinians.
• In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers dressed up as doctors and women and raided a hospital to kill three Palestinians.
• Meanwhile, The US and UK are bombing Yemen after Houthi rebels attacked ships linked to Israel to protest its war on Gaza.
• This British journalist then slammed the two countries for bombing Yemen because their Amazon packages were delayed.
• The WHO’s director broke down talking about the dire conditions Palestinians are facing in Gaza.
• In Norway, activists stripped in the snow to reenact Israel’s treatment of Palestinian men to protest the war.
• This three-year-old Indigenous Māori boy in New Zealand was captured randomly bursting out into a “ceasefire now” chant in the car and people love it.

Also Happening Around The World

🇮🇷 Iran has executed a 23-year-old man who had a mental illness for taking part in the Mahsa Amini protests.

🇹🇭 This Thai activist was sentenced to a record 50 years in prison for sharing Facebook posts about the monarchy.

🇩🇪 More than 1.4 million people in Germany are holding huge protests against the far-right party in the country.

🇦🇺 Meanwhile in Australia, fire ants have been filmed making rafts to survive intense floods and it’s terrifying.

🇬🇧 King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer.

🇬🇧 Also in the UK, a British pianist who was confronted by a Chinese filming crew while live-streaming a public performance has caused a huge controversy.

🇭🇰 Also, Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi sat out at a friendly football match in Hong Kong and caused a huge controversy.

🇮🇳 This Indian model faked her death to raise awareness about cervical cancer and people are not happy.

The prince of Brunei, Asia’s most eligible bachelor, has married his commoner girlfriend in an extravagant 10-day ceremony.

32-year-old Prince Abdul Mateen is the 10th child of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who is the world’s longest reigning monarch and one of the world’s richest men.

The prince, who is sixth in line to the throne, is a trained helicopter pilot, a major in the Royal Brunei Air Force and a polo athlete.

He also has a loyal following of more than 2.5 million fans on Instagram.

Mateen married his longtime girlfriend, 29-year-old Anisha Rosnah, in a 10-day traditional celebration that began on Jan. 7.

Rosnah is the granddaughter of the Sultan’s special advisor who founded Royal Brunei Airlines and owns a fashion brand and tourism company.

When the couple announced their engagement in December 2023, many fans couldn’t help but feel sad, calling Mateen a “heartbreaker”.

Their union was formalized in an Islamic marriage ceremony on Jan. 10 that was attended only by men.

The reception was held on Jan. 14 at the sultanate palace and was attended by more than 5,000 guests, including royal families from Malaysia, Bhutan, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, as well as other world leaders.

The newlyweds then did a grand parade through the streets of Brunei’s capital, where thousands eagerly waited to catch a glimpse of the new royal couple.

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