USAID refers over 100 UNRWA staff over alleged Hamas links

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Inspector General has referred more than 100 current or former employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to the State Department. The referrals follow investigations into the personnel's alleged participation in the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel or their affiliations with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Specific allegations include a former UNRWA school principal who was found to have coordinated communications with suspected Hamas members during the attacks, resulting in a debarment. Another individual, a former social worker, was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a civilian from Kibbutz Be’eri. The watchdog's findings suggest that some agency staff may have served as military operatives or held ties to the al-Qassam Brigades.

These developments increase scrutiny in Washington regarding the potential for terrorist infiltration within humanitarian aid channels in Gaza. While UNRWA has condemned the October 7 massacre, the USAID investigation highlights ongoing concerns regarding the neutrality and security of the agency's operations.