US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the evidence that some United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) staff members participated in the October 7 attack against Israel is credible.

“We haven’t had the ability to investigate [the allegations] ourselves, but they are highly, highly credible,” Blinken told reporters in Washington.

His remarks came after Israel provided UNRWA with data saying that 12 of its staff had been part of the October 7 attack against Israel in which over 1,200 people were killed and another 253 seized hostage.

Blinken said that UNRWA had reported to the US on the situation and that he found it “deeply, deeply troubling.”

The UNRWA has fired nine of the staff members accused of taking part in the October 7 attack, including in some of the kidnappings. The UN has also opened an investigation into the allegations.

Blinken said it was “imperative that UNRWA immediately, as it said it would, investigate; that it hold people accountable as necessary; and that it review its procedures.” He said had spoken about the issue with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and that it would be “looking very hard at the steps that UNRWA takes to make sure that this is fully and thoroughly investigated, that there’s clear accountability, and that as necessary, measures are put in place so that this doesn’t happen again.”

The US is among upwards of 15 donor countries that have suspended funding already pledged toward the 2024 budget until a UN investigation is completed.