The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has allegedly employed members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in its schools across the Gaza Strip, according to documents recovered by Israel and examined by The New York Times.
For over a decade, Israel has repeatedly expressed frustration with UNRWA for its inability to prevent the infiltration of terrorist operatives within its ranks. Reports have indicated that several UNRWA staff were involved in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7.
Documents reviewed by The Times indicate that at least 24 Hamas and PIJ members, including individuals in command roles, were on UNRWA’s payroll. Israel has long maintained that these groups have exploited UN facilities for military purposes, using schools to store weapons, shelter militants, and launch attacks against Israel. Hamas reportedly keeps meticulous records of its personnel, tracking armaments issued to them and documenting various attributes, including fitness and loyalty.
The charges indicate that the terrorists working for UNRWA were not low-level employees. Many of them were principals or vice-principals of UN-run schools, while others were school counselors and teachers. One of the more egregious examples is Ahmad al-Khatib, the vice-principal of a UN elementary school, who was found to be a squad commander in Khan Younis, with numerous weapons at his disposal, including a Kalashnikov rifle and hand grenades.
The report said at least 24 of the 288 schools in the Gaza Strip run by UNRWA had staff affiliated with Hamas and PIJ. Documents also showed that two schools were allegedly used to hide and store weapons. Citizens in Gaza have come forward and spoken about how being a member of Hamas and teaching at UN schools has been an open secret within their community. One reported member of Hamas was seen donning a military uniform, complete with a rifle, after school hours.
In response to these allegations, the UN countered that Israel is waging a smear campaign against UNRWA. The Israeli government, however, maintains that the problem goes far beyond a few rogue cases. Amir Weissbrod, the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Director for International Organizations, said, “The U.N. seems intent on portraying this problem as a few bad apples, rather than acknowledging that the tree is rotten.”
Despite UNRWA’s attempts to deflect the accusations, Hamas has acknowledged the presence of its members within the agency. In September, a school principal and former head of UNRWA’s teachers’ union, Fatah Sharif, was recognized by Hamas as a top commander, a fact that UNRWA has also confirmed.
