A resident of the Gaza Strip told the IDF that the Hamas terrorist organization directly controls the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the New York Post reported.
In a recording obtained by the Post, the man stated that “the situation is terrible because the humanitarian people, those responsible for the humanitarian aid, are thieves.”
He further stated that "Hamas has their hands on UNRWA administration workers, and it manages UNRWA" and that Hamas ensures its own operatives receive any aid first before it is distributed to the civilians of Gaza as intended.
The IDF stated that the conversation was recorded when an IDF officer was delivering warnings to civilians in Gaza where they should evacuate in order to escape the fighting between Israel and Hamas and where to go to receive humanitarian aid.
UNRWA has long been criticized for its cooperation with Hamas, antisemitic incitement, and employment of Hamas terrorists.
It has been revealed that a teacher employed by UNRWA held one of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 massacre in an attic for 50 days without proper food or medical care.
Yesterday (Monday), the IDF reported that dozens of explosive devices were found inside UNRWA bags during operational activity in the area of the "Al Rafaa" and "Zavaha" schools in Tuffah in the northern Gaza Strip. This is not the first time Hamas weapons and explosives have been found inside UNRWA bags.
Earlier this month, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that "UNRWA is part of the problem - not part of the solution. The organization educates to incitement to terror, and ignores Hamas' cynical use of Gaza residents as human shields."
Last week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog accused the United Nations of failing to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, saying that three times as much aid could have entered the enclave if the UN had done its job properly.
“Unfortunately, due to the utter failure of the UN in its work with other partners in the region, they have been unable to bring in more than 125 trucks a day,” Herzog told French Senate President Gérard Larcher.
"Today it is possible to provide three times the amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza if the UN — instead of complaining all day — would do its job," he said.