In a recent development, a damning Israeli dossier has alleged that approximately 1,200 employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have links to Hamas, while thousands more are closely related to members of Gaza terror groups. The report, assembled through interrogations of Hamas terrorists and the recovery of documents in Gaza, claims that around 10% of UNRWA's 12,000 employees in Gaza have ties to Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The intelligence report, which was shared with the United States, further reveals that nearly half of the agency's total workforce, approximately 6,000 individuals, have close relatives involved in militant organizations that have governed the region since 2007. These individuals with ties to the terror groups are identified as "operatives" who have participated in Hamas' military or political activities.

A senior Israeli government official commented on the findings, stating that the issue within UNRWA transcends a few isolated cases, asserting that "the institution as a whole is a haven for Hamas' radical ideology." However, UNRWA declined to address the specific allegations of employing individuals with connections to Hamas, citing an ongoing internal investigation into the agency following the accusation that 12 staff members participated in a terrorist attack on October 7.

The intelligence report also highlights a significant disparity between the average number of adult males in Gaza with ties to Hamas (15%) and the proportion of male UNRWA employees allegedly connected to the group (nearly 25%). This discrepancy suggests that Hamas may wield greater influence within the aid agency than among the wider population.

This is not the first time concerns have been raised regarding UNRWA's alleged politicization. Israel had previously discovered that former UNRWA union chief Suhail al-Hindi was elected to a senior role in Hamas back in 2017, further fueling suspicions about political infiltration within the organization.

In response to these troubling revelations, UNRWA has dismissed nine of the 12 accused staff members who were actively involved in Hamas' terror activities. Among those dismissed were teachers and social workers who aided a shocking terror attack at Kibbutz Be'eri, resulting in over 1,200 casualties and the kidnapping of over 240 individuals.

These allegations have spurred significant doubts about the agency's ability to provide aid to the nearly 2 million Palestinian refugees caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas. As a result, ten nations, including the United States, have cut millions of dollars in funding to UNRWA. However, the agency's Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, has criticized these decisions, arguing that they unjustly punish the Palestinian population as a whole.

Lazzarini expressed his concerns over the impact of reduced funding, stating, "Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million people depend as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing. I am shocked that such decisions are made based on the alleged behavior of a few individuals. As the war continues, needs are deepening, and famine looms. Palestinians in Gaza did not need this additional collective punishment. This stains all of us."

As the investigation into UNRWA continues, the scandal surrounding potential Hamas connections within the aid agency threatens to further complicate the already complex political situation in the region. The international community's response to these allegations will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for both the agency's future and the welfare of Palestinian refugees in Gaza.