The Trump administration has launched a sweeping investigation into the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), probing allegations that more than 1,500 current or former employees have ties to terrorism. The probe, conducted by the USAID Office of the Inspector General (OIG), has already referred 108 individuals to the State Department for suspension or exclusion from receiving U.S. funds. These individuals are accused of involvement in the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, or membership in terrorist groups.
According to a U.S. diplomatic official briefed on the investigation, at least 1,500 UNRWA employees are under scrutiny for links to foreign terrorist organizations in Gaza. The USAID OIG investigation goes beyond the October 7 attacks, examining broader ties to terrorism. A senior U.S. official told Fox News Digital that the probe «smartly picked up where the U.N. failed» and is «critical, as U.S. taxpayers should never fund the salaries of aid workers that are members of a foreign terrorist organization.»
The investigation has revealed alarming details about the roles of some UNRWA staff. Among those referred for debarment are school principals, teachers, security personnel, and medical professionals. Specific cases include a deputy school principal who served as a Hamas deputy company commander, a teacher with expertise as a sniper for Hamas, and a school principal assigned to a Hamas military manufacturing unit. Under the principal's school, investigators found «three anti-tank positions and a tunnel shaft.»
During the October 7 attacks, a teacher was ordered to bring two anti-tank missiles to a prescribed location, and a deputy school principal was charged with communications. The USAID OIG has stated that it expects to make further referrals to the State Department, as well as potential criminal referrals to the Department of Justice. The State Department has already banned Hafez Mousa Mohammed Mousa, an UNRWA school principal who coordinated communications with Hamas members during the attacks, from any future work with U.S. government entities.
The United Nations conducted its own investigation in 2024 through the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) following claims that 19 UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 attacks. However, OIOS found insufficient evidence for 10 employees, while the remaining nine had their contracts terminated. The USAID OIG investigation has expanded the scope, looking at a much larger number of employees.
Hamas has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the State Department since 1997 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group since 2001. The investigation has drawn bipartisan concern. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) posted on X that «it is time for the United States to take action to address this growing problem and the systemic radicalization in UNRWA facilities.» He said he would work with the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. to root out terrorist links at the U.N.
The Board of Peace, a Trump-backed initiative, posted on X that UNRWA «has no place in the new Gaza.» An official briefed on developments with the Board of Peace expressed concern, stating that «we can’t really have an institution operating inside of Gaza where they're purportedly delivering aid and services to two million people but also allegedly participating in and supporting terrorism.» The official emphasized that moving forward without UNRWA will require being «responsible and deliberate in terms of how we transition those services over to ensure there are no gaps in critical aid delivery, whether it's health services, vaccinations, food, or other goods.»
A State Department spokesperson responded to the investigation by saying that «it is no surprise that another 100 UNWRA employees were determined to be involved in the barbaric Oct. 7 attack.» The spokesperson added that «President Trump and Secretary Rubio have affirmed time and time again that no State Department funding will be provided to UNWRA, which has been totally infiltrated by Hamas and terrorist sympathizers.» The investigation marks a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to address allegations of terrorism within UNRWA, with potential implications for the agency's future operations in Gaza.
