SINGAPORE, Aug 8 — Following the arrest of a World Vision staff member in Gaza accused of diverting millions of dollars a year to a Palestinian militant group, World Vision in Singapore said the funds raised here do not go towards its Gaza programmes.

Mohammad El Halabi, World Vision in Gaza’s operations manager, was arrested in June, and after spending 50 days in Israeli state detention, was charged on Thursday with providing support for Hamas.

British media reported that he allegedly funnelled about US$7.2 million (RM29.1 million) a year to Hamas.

They also quoted Israel’s Shin Bet security service as saying that about 60 per cent of funds designated for World Vision programmes in Gaza had been diverted to the group.

Replying to TODAY’s queries, World Vision Singapore spokeswoman Fiona Soh, said: "World Vision Singapore donors support Middle East programmes in West Bank — not Gaza — and in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for the Syrian refugees.”

A statement on the Christian charity’s website said it did not condone any of the actions El Halabi was accused of.

Soh said "detailed procedures and control mechanisms” were in place to ensure the funds it receives are spent according to applicable legal requirements and "in ways that do not fuel conflict but rather contribute to peace”.

World Vision International is also taking steps in response to the charges, including suspending its Gaza operations, conducting an internal review and cooperating with the investigation.

For now, it seems the impact here has been felt only by a group of donors who were due to depart for Israel soon to visit their sponsored children.

In an email to the donors, Soh wrote that it would be difficult for its national office there to "properly host our visit in the midst of this crisis”, and there could be immigration clearance problems in Israel.

The group will be provided full refunds on "in-country” costs.

Soh apologised for the last-minute cancellation, adding that World Vision Singapore felt it was "not a good time for (the group) to fly up under a World Vision banner”.

A World Vision donor of about 15 years, who did not want to be named, said his confidence in the charity was not affected by the arrest.

"I’ve great faith in this organisation worldwide, (and I) quite like the way they work,” he said.

But the 66-year-old former marine engineer also plans to request evidence from World Vision that the two children he sponsors, by contributing S$90 a month, are genuine and have been receiving benefits.

When contacted, an Office of the Commissioner of Charities spokesperson would only say that it is looking into the matter.

Last year, the office said that while there was little evidence that terrorist organisations or money launderers were exploiting charities here, they remain vulnerable on account of the "inherent risks related to fund-raising, provision of services and other charitable activities”.

It added that some areas where charities operate internationally might have weak infrastructure, and funds could be transferred through unregulated financial channels, resulting in suspicious transactions being harder to detect.

Soh said World Vision programmes in Gaza have been subject to regular audits, evaluations and a range of internal controls to ensure assets reach their intended recipients.

"We’ll carefully review any evidence presented to us and will take appropriate actions based on that evidence,” she said. — TODAY