Hostage Survivor's Daughter Tells UN Teacher Held Her Mother

Neta Hyman-Mena, daughter of released hostage Ditsa Hyman, addressed the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, recounting her mother's 53 days in captivity in Gaza. Hyman-Mena, an activist with the "Women Wage Peace" movement, criticized the continued funding of UNRWA, revealing that her 84-year-old mother was held for 48 days in the attic of a UNRWA teacher's home under harsh conditions with minimal food. "How could you entrust the education of the next generation in Gaza to such a person?" she asked the UN, questioning the agency's ability to promote human rights education while employing individuals allegedly linked to terror groups. She specifically mentioned Suhail al-Hindi, a former head of UNRWA's staff union in Gaza, whom UN Watch identifies as a Hamas member, questioning his oversight of thousands of teachers.

Hyman-Mena clarified that she does not advocate for halting essential services to Gazans but for finding alternative providers free from alleged terror ties. "I believe the vacuum must be filled. The UN and the Peace Council must find alternatives to provide health, education, and food security services to the children of Gaza," she stated, adding that Israel should support this effort for a better future for all. Her address coincided with the release of a new UN Watch report challenging UNRWA's claims of comprehensive reforms following the October 7th attacks and subsequent funding suspensions. The report suggests UNRWA has exaggerated the implementation of reforms, with only 13 out of 50 recommendations fully completed, and many remaining cosmetic.

UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer stated that UNRWA graded its own homework, asserting that its employees continue to be exposed as members or supporters of terror groups, hate-filled educational content persists, and Hamas-controlled unions undermine neutrality. The UN Watch report questions UNRWA's self-assessment of reforms, which were initiated after an independent review led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. UNRWA had claimed to have completed 41 of 50 recommendations aimed at improving neutrality mechanisms and restoring donor confidence after allegations of staff involvement in the October 7th attacks led to a freeze of approximately $450 million in funding from donor countries.