USAID investigation into UNRWA staff affiliations

The USAID Office of Inspector General has referred over 100 current or former UNRWA employees to the State Department following investigations into alleged ties to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. These investigations focused on potential participation in the October 7, 2023, attacks, including allegations of staff members serving as military operatives or coordinating communications with militants.

A subsequent review of a December 2025 United Nations internal investigation identified “major deficiencies” in the UN’s probe. The USAID watchdog reported that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services utilized a narrow scope and rejected intercepted communications and intelligence provided by Israel. The USAID review concluded there was “no evidence to suggest that the authenticity of the materials collected by the Israeli government should be questioned.”

These findings have led to formal demands for explanations from United Nations officials and have prompted discussions among Western donor nations regarding future financial commitments to the agency.