A group of former Israeli hostages freed from Hamas custody claim they were detained in facilities belonging to an embattled United Nations organization that came under international scrutiny amid the Israel-Gaza conflict over its ties to Hamas.

Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher entered Red Cross custody on Sunday as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The trio said they spent some of their detention in refugee shelters operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), according to the Washington Examiner. The girls' claims remain unverified as of press time.

The Israel Foreign Ministry was livid over the claims, saying "The UN refuses to condemn Hamas for hiding hostages in civilian spaces."

UNRWA is a U.N. operated refugees and humanitarian organization that operates refugee camps in the Gaza Strip and handles the distribution of humanitarian aid. Critics have highlighted reports that staffers for the group have been members of Hamas and that some may have been involved in the Oct. 7 raid that kicked off the hostilities.

Last year, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.-designate Elise Stefanik called the UNRWA a "cesspool of antisemitism" amid revelations that a Hamas leader in Lebanon had been an employee of the organization. UNRWA denied knowledge of his ties to Hamas.

During her confirmation hearing, moreover, Stefanik vowed a review of U.S. funding for UN programs.