World Vision Australia CEO Tim Costello has expressed his shock over allegations that a manager in the organisation’s Gaza office has passed millions of dollars to the Palestinian militant group Hamas to pay fighters and buy weapons, but said World Vision had been presented with no evidence to support the charges.
Mohemmad El Halabi, who has reportedly worked with World Vision for 10 years, appeared in a court this week in regard to the charges brought by Israeli intelligence agency Shin Bet.
Mr Costello said in a statement that Mr Halabi had been detained for 50 days without charge prior to the allegations being made this week and added that he was personally shocked by the nature of the allegations. World Vision has described Mr Halabi as a “well-respected manager with World Vision’s Gaza office”.
The aid organisation said its programs in Gaza have been subject to regular internal and independent audits and evaluations and “a broad range of internal controls aimed at ensuring that assets reach their intended beneficiaries and are used in compliance with applicable laws and donor requirements”.
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