UPDATED: Evidence Of UNRWA Aid To Hamas On And After October 7th

Damning evidence of the extent of UNRWA’s ties and material assistance to Hamas continues to pour in. In February, the IDF revealed its discovery of a Hamas tunnel network under UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters housing a sophisticated data center with electricity cables running straight up into the UNRWA headquarters, connecting it to UNRWA’s electricity network. This came just two weeks after the Wall Street Journal exposed Israeli intelligence reports that at least 12 UNRWA employees had participated in the October 7th attack and that 1,200 UNRWA employees in Gaza—representing 10% of UNRWA’s Gaza workforce—are Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives.

These revelations just reinforce our conclusions after nearly ten years of researching UNRWA staff incitement to terrorism and antisemitism on social media—UNRWA in Gaza has been fully infiltrated by Hamas and is incapable of serving as a neutral humanitarian actor in the region.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of evidence of UNRWA’s aid to Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza on an after October 7th:

  1. Hamas Nukba Commander Who Perpetrated October 7th Massacre was UNRWA Employee. Mohamed Abu Itiwi, Hamas Nukba commander who led massacre on Reim shelter, killing 16 and taking four hostage including Hersh Glodberg-Polin, is killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. (EFE, October 25, 2024).
  2. Hamas Converts UNRWA Clinic Into Weapons Storage Facility and Hideout. Hamas terrorists takeover UNRWA clinic in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, using it for weapons storage and as a base for Hamas terrorists to attack IDF troops. (@cogatonline, October 15, 2024).
  3. UNRWA Principal and Teachers Union Chief is Head of Hamas in Lebanon. IDF kills UNRWA Principal and head of the UNRWA Lebanon Teachers Union in a precision Israeli airstrike. Hamas immediately eulogized him as the organization’s head in Lebanon. Al-Sharif’s role as a key Hamas figure in Lebanon was publicly known for years. (@UNWatch, September 30, 2024; Times of Israel, September 30, 2024).
  4. Hamas Terrorists Operate From UNRWA School in Nuseirat. IDF conducts targeted strike on UNRWA Al Jawni School in Nuseirat killing nine Hamas terrorists – including at least three UNRWA employees – manning a Hamas control center on the school grounds. (Times of Israel, September 12, 2024; @cogatonline, September 12, 2024).
  5. Hamas Terrorists Operate From UNRWA School in Nuseirat. IDF conducts targeted strike on Hamas terrorists in UNRWA school in Nuseirat where they planned and directed terror attacks. (@IDF, July 16, 2024).
  6. Weapons Cache And Observation Room Found In UNRWA Compound. IDF troops raid UNRWA facility near the agency’s Gaza City HQ being used by Hamas as a command center. (Times of Israel, July 12, 2024; @IDF, July 12, 2024).
  7. 100 UNRWA Employees Are Identified As Hamas Terrorists. Israeli Foreign Ministry sends letter to UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini informing him that it has identified the names of 100 UNRWA employees who are also Hamas terrorists, adding this is part of a “broader list” which cannot be publicly released. (The Telegraph, July 11, 2024; Times of Israel, July 11, 2024; @cogatonline, July 12, 2024).
  8. UNRWA Gaza City Headquarters Used By Gaza Terror Groups. The IDF raided UNRWA’s Gaza city headquarters which was being used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists as a base for attacks. (@idfonline, July 10, 2024; Times of Israel, July 10, 2024). Large quantities of weapons were also found there. (Times of Israel, July 11, 2024).
  9. Hamas Operating In Area of UNRWA School in Central Gaza. The IDF conducted a precise strike on structures used by Hamas in the vicinity of an UNRWA school in central Gaza. (@IDF, July 6, 2024).
  10. Hamas Operating From Two UNRWA Schools in Gaza City. The IDF struck Hamas terrorists in two UNRWA schools in Gaza city which were being used as hideouts and operational bases. (@IDF, July 4, 2024).
  11. Hamas Operations Cell Located Inside UNRWA School. IDF conducted precise strike on container room in UNRWA school housing civilians used by Hamas to carry out terror attacks and as a meeting point. (@cogatonline, June 7, 2024).
  12. Hamas Operates Terrorist Compound Inside UNRWA School. Israel conducted a precise, targeted strike on a Hamas compound inside an UNRWA school in Nuseirat from which Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists were directing terrorist attacks. Some of the terrorists in the compound had participated in the October 7th atrocities. (@IDF, June 6, 2024; @cogatonline, June 6, 2024; Times of Israel, June 6, 2024).
  13. Hamas Compound Embedded in UNRWA School. Israel conducted a precise strike on Hamas compound inside UNRWA school in Bureij from which it operated and planned attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. (@cogatonline, June 4, 2024).
  14. Hamas Fires At Israeli Troops From UNRWA School. An anti-tank missile was fired from an UNRWA school toward Israeli troops. Later scans of the school, revealed large quantities of weapons stored there. (@IDF, May 30, 2024).
  15. Bodies of Israeli Captives Found in Tunnel Under UNRWA School. The entrance to the Hamas tunnel where the IDF recovered the bodies of four Israeli hostages was located in an UNRWA school. (@Osint613, May 23, 2024; Arutz Sheva, May 23, 2024).
  16. Hamas Military Compound Located Inside UNRWA School. Hamas terrorists, including an anti-tank missile operative and a Nukhba terrorist, attacked IDF forces from inside an UNRWA school. (@cogatonline, May 22, 2024).
  17. Armed Terrorists Inside UNRWA logistics Compound. Footage from an Israeli drone shows armed terrorists operating freely inside an UNRWA logistics compound in Eastern Rafah, a central point for aid distribution to Palestinians. The footage shows the terrorists walking next to UNRWA vehicles and shooting at civilians right outside. (@cogatonline, May 14, 2024).
  18. Hamas War Room Found Inside UNRWA School. The IDF identified a Hamas war room embedded inside an UNRWA school in Nuseirat, Central Gaza and eliminated 10 Hamas operatives in a precise strike. (@cogatonline, May 14, 2024).
  19. Hamas Command Center Located in UNRWA Facility. The IDF carried our a precise strike on a Hamas command and control center found in an active UNRWA facility housing  refugees. (@IDF, May 5, 2024).
  20. 500 UNRWA Gaza Employees Serve in Military Positions in Hamas and PIJ. The Israeli Government released new information, based on documents captured in Gaza, that at least 500 UNRWA Gaza employees serve in military positions in Hamas and PIJ, including in senior positions. In addition, terrorist infrastructures was found in at least 30 UNRWA facilities. According to the captured material, Hamas views UNRWA as an “an essential asset both for maintaining its rule over Gaza and for exploiting its facilities to build terror infrastructure.” (Government of Israel, April 2024).
  21. Two additional UNRWA Employees Participated in October 7. The IDF identified two additional UNRWA employees who participated in the October 7th attack. It published audio recordings of UNRWA teacher/PIJ terrorist Mamdouh al-Qali (“I’m inside with the Jews”) and UNRWA teacher/Hamas terrorist Yousef al-Hawajara (“We have female hostages. I captured one!”). (Times of Israel, March 4, 2024; IDF, March 4, 2024).
  22. At least 42 UNRWA Employees Participated in October 7. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a briefing to foreign press, “In addition to these 12 workers, we have significant indications based on intelligence, that over 30 UNRWA workers participated in the massacre, facilitated the taking of hostages, looted and stole from Israeli communities, and more.” Gallant added that 1,468 UNRWA workers are “known to be active in Hamas and PIJ,” including 185 who “are active in the military branches of Hamas” and 51 who “are active in the PIJ military branch.” (Times of Israel, February 16, 2024).
  23. UNRWA aid used by Yahya Sinwar. Video shows UNRWA aid bags in the subterranean hideout of Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar. (@cogatonline, February 13, 2024).
  24. UNRWA supplies premises, electricity to Hamas. Sophisticated Hamas Data Center found running under UNRWA Gaza Headquarters, connected to UNRWA electricity cables. The tunnel system and data center included a kitchenette and living quarters. There was also a perimeter wall with a gate and security cameras documenting who entered and exited the complex. Inside the UNRWA headquarters itself, IDF troops found several caches of weapons, equipment, and documents that indicated that the same offices were also used by Hamas. (Times of Israel, February 11, 2024; @IDFSpokesperson, February 10, 2024). Ten days earlier, The Wall Street Journal had reported: “In 2014, part of the parking lot at the Unrwa headquarters in Gaza began sinking, likely from a Hamas tunnel dug beneath. ‘No one talked about what was causing the collapse,’ a former Unrwa official said, “but everyone knew.’”
  25. UNRWA aid used by Hamas. Bags of UNRWA labeled concrete found in tunnels used by Hamas to hold hostages (shown in video clip at 4:50 and 7:10) (Economic Times YouTube, February 8, 2024).
  26. At least 12 UNRWA staff participated in October 7. Israeli intelligence found evidence that at least 12 UNRWA employees participated in the October 7th attack, including six that took part in the invasion, two that held hostages, and others that transported ammunition (The Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2024; New York Times, January 28, 2024). On February 16th, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced the identity of all 12 of these UNRWA employees, including Faisal Ali Mussalem al-Naami, an UNRWA social worker, seen in a surveillance video from October 7th abducting the body of an Israeli killed in the attack (Times of Israel, February 16th, 2024).
  27. Hamas shot at IDF troops from UNRWA school. An injured IDF soldier testified that he was injured when Hamas fighters shot at him from an UNRWA school, killing his commander. According to the injured soldier, the Hamas fighters used the school as cover to attack Israeli troops and also to store weapons. (@ChayaRaichik10, January 30, 2024).
  28. 1,200 UNRWA employees are Hamas and PIJ operatives. Israeli intelligence estimated that 10% of UNRWA’s Gaza workforce, equaling 1,200 UNRWA employees, are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives while 50% or 6,000 UNRWA employees have immediate family members who are affiliate with these terror groups. (The Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2024).
  29. UNRWA facilities used for Hamas weapons storage. Col. Elad Shushan, commander of the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade: “There is not a UNRWA site, school, mosque, or kindergarten in which we didn’t find weapons. None. One hundred percent.” (Times of Israel, January 18, 2024).
  30. UNRWA aid stolen by Hamas. In recorded call with Israel, Gaza resident who works for American aid organization testifies that Hamas systematically steals equipment and food, including stealing from UNRWA warehouses. (@cogatonline, January 8, 2024).
  31. UNRWA aid bags used by Hamas to stores equipment. Photo shows Nukhba military vests found in UNRWA bags inside a medical clinic. (@cogatonline, January 6, 2024).
  32. Hamas Controls UNRWA. Gaza Palestinian tells IDF in recorded phone call that Hamas controls UNRWA and is hoarding all the supplies. “Hamas has their hands on UNRWA administration workers, and it manages UNRWA, from the day they [Hamas] rose to power they took control of everything.”(New York Post, December 25, 2023).
  33. UN equipment used by Hamas. UN vests were found together with ammunition and explosives, some inside UNRWA aid bags. (@IDF, December 25, 2023).
  34. Vehicles and machines stolen from UNRWA facility. According to a social media user in Gaza, vehicles and heavy machinery were stolen from an UNRWA facility (@JoeTruzman, December 25, 2023).
  35. UNRWA aid bags used to store weapons. IDF video shows explosives, a Kalashnikov rifle, and an RPG that had been found stored in UNRWA aid bags. (IDF Website, December 11, 2023).
  36. UNRWA aid bags used to store weapons. Photos and video show Hamas weapons found UNRWA aid bags inside a mosque in Shuja’iyya. (@cogatonline, Dec. 11, 2023; @JoeTruzman, December 11, 2024).
  37. UNRWA school used as base to fire weapons. IDF video shows Hamas terrorists firing weapons from inside an UNRWA school in Beit Hanoun. (@IDF, December 9, 2023).
  38. UNRWA aid bags used to store weapons. Video shows weapons found in a school which had been stored in UNRWA aid bags. (@IDFSpokesperson, December 9, 2023).
  39. Hamas fires rockets from near UN facility. Satellite photo shows site from where Hamas launched 12 rockets at Israeli civilians. Site is in close proximity to a UN facility. (@cogatonline, December 7, 2023).
  40. Weapons hidden under UNRWA equipment. IDF forces found dozens of missiles and Grad rockets hidden underneath UNRWA equipment. (Jerusalem Post, December 2, 2023; @JoeTruzman, December 2, 2023; @IDFSpokesperson, December 2, 2023).
  41. UNRWA aid stolen by Hamas. Video shows UNRWA aid bags inside Hamas terror tunnel. (@cogatonline, November 30, 2023).
  42. UNRWA teacher holds Israeli hostage. Returned Israeli captive testified he was held captive by an UNRWA teacher in an attic for 50 days. (@bokeralmog, November 29, 2023).
  43. Hamas terror tunnel located near UNRWA school. On November 8, 2023, the IDF destroyed a Hamas terror tunnel that had been located adjacent to an UNRWA school. (FDD, November 10, 2023; @JoeTruzman, November 8, 2023; @IDF, December 3, 2023).
  44. Hamas fires rockets from near UN facility. Satellite image shows Hamas rocket launching site next to UN building. (@IDF, October 22, 2023).
  45. Hamas fires rockets from near UN facility. Satellite image shows Hamas rocket launching site next to UNRWA school. (@cogatonline, October 19, 2023).
  46. UNRWA fuel stolen by Hamas. Hamas Ministry of Health stole 24,000 liters of fuel from an UNRWA facility (@HillelNeuer citing @UNRWA, October 16, 2023; @cogatonline citing @UNRWA, October 16, 2023).
UN Watch