Israel-Gaza live updates: 'Constructive meeting' but 'gaps' remain: Israeli PM

The secretary-general of the United Nations appealed on Sunday for continuing funding for the U.N. aid agency responsible for Gaza.

Nine countries, including the United States, paused their funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees after Israel accused 12 of its employees of being involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Mark Regev, an Israeli spokesman, told ABC News in a phone interview Sunday that Israel gathered intelligence about the alleged connection to terrorism through videos released by Hamas and others during the Oct. 7 attack and claimed there's "clear unrefutable evidence that U.N. paid staff were involved in crimes against humanity."

About 2 million people in Gaza depend on the agency for daily survival, Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement Sunday.

According to Guterres, "Of the 12 people implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini; one is confirmed dead, and the identity of the two others is being clarified."

"The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences," he said in the statement.

He added, "But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met."

-ABC News' Matt Gutman, Edward Szekeres and Kevin Shalvey

The number of nations pausing funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has risen to 9 -- an unprecedented number for a UN agency. This withdrawal of funding comes amid allegations from Israeli officials that some of the agency's staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

On Saturday, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland joined the U.S., Australia and Canada in pausing funding to UNRWA.

"UNRWA lifesaving assistance is about to end following countries decisions to cut their funding to the Agency. Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million people depend as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing. I am shocked such decisions are taken based on alleged behavior of a few individuals and as the war continues, needs are deepening & famine looms," the commissioner general of UNRWA said in a statement.

"Palestinians in Gaza did not need this additional collective punishment. This stains all of us," the statement said.

-ABC News' Matt Gutman, Dana Savir, Guy Davies

A ruling on Friday from the International Court of Justice stopped short of ordering a ceasefire but ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians and do more to help civilians.

In response to the ruling, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the war aimed at eliminating Hamas would continue.

-ABC News' Edward Szekeres

President Joe Biden spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Friday, according to a statement from the White House.

The two leaders discussed the ongoing war and the efforts being made "to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas," according to the release.

The White House said Biden and El-Sisi spoke about a "prolonged humanitarian pause" in fighting and intensifying efforts to further increase "life-saving humanitarian assistance into and throughout Gaza."

Biden thanked El-Sisi and they agreed to continue their close coordination to increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza while setting conditions for sustainable peace in the Middle East, including the "establishment of a Palestinian state and equal measures of dignity and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike," the White House said.