UN aid chief demands evidence after Israel accuses staff of links to Hamas: Report

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has demanded that Israel provide evidence for its accusations that staff with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) have links to Hamas, the Reuters news agency reported on Friday, citing a letter it had reviewed. 

Hamas, as the governing party in Gaza, is responsible for all administrative and bureaucratic tasks in the Strip.

Earlier this week Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon declared that Fletcher and Ocha were no longer neutral and that hundreds of Ocha employees would undergo security vetting. Israel would also restrict Ocha visas to one month, he said. 

Danon did not provide any evidence to back up his statements.

Fletcher sent his letter to the Security Council on Thursday, Reuters said.

"I expect the Israeli authorities to immediately share any evidence that led them to make such claims to the council," Fletcher reportedly wrote.