USAID OIG, a statutorily independent law enforcement and oversight entity, continues to investigate UNRWA staff linked to Hamas and other U.S. designated terrorist organizations. As part of this ongoing investigation, USAID OIG has referred over 100 current or former UNRWA staff for participation in the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel and/or affiliation with Hamas to the U.S. Department of State for independent review of the evidence and consideration of suspension and/or debarment action. Of those referred, three have recently been proposed for debarment by the Department.
The individuals proposed for debarment include:
- A former UNRWA school teacher and Hamas military operative in the Deir el Balah Battalion, who allegedly engaged in kidnapping operations during the October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel.
- A former UNRWA school teacher, who through Hamas military records, was identified as an operative of the Rafah Brigade of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad who was allegedly in Israel during the October 7 attacks.
- A former UNRWA school teacher and Hamas operative for the Deir el Balah Battalion who allegedly received and held civilian hostages beginning on October 7, 2023.
A fourth individual, Faisal Ali Al-Naami, was also proposed for debarment. However, records indicated the individual was deceased, and the proposal was terminated. Al-Naami was a former UNRWA social worker and Hamas military communications operative who allegedly participated in the kidnapping of a civilian from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023.
This ongoing investigation has already resulted in the government wide debarment of Hafez Mousa Mohammed Mousa, an operative of the Hamas East Jabaliya Battalion, who was found to have coordinated communications with other suspected Hamas members during the October 7 attacks while serving as an UNRWA school principal. That action represented the first known debarment by the U.S. of a terrorist affiliated with a UN agency responsible for humanitarian assistance programming.
Additional referrals to the Department of State are expected, as well as potential criminal referrals to the Department of Justice.
It remains USAID OIG’s investigative priority to ensure that U.S.-funded humanitarian assistance does not fall into the hands of foreign terrorist organizations, depriving assistance from reaching civilians in need. In support of this effort, USAID OIG, with its unique global oversight capacity, has significant ongoing investigative work aimed at preventing the recirculation of terrorist-affiliated actors across U.S.-funded aid organizations, including UN entities.
For more on USAID OIG’s investigative results and ongoing work, please visit https://oig.usaid.gov/our-work/investigations.
To confidentially report fraud, corruption, or diversion of aid, please visit https://oig.usaid.gov/report-fraud.