U.S. Agencies Investigate UN Employees Linked to Hamas
In Washington, U.S. government agencies are ramping up investigations into over 100 individuals associated with the United Nations relief agency. These employees are suspected of having connections with Hamas and may have taken part in the October 7 attack that resulted in numerous American fatalities, as reported by various outlets.
According to U.S. officials, the former U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General is continuing to uncover ties to terrorism within the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. A U.S. diplomat noted, “USAID is looking into more than 100 UNRWA staff for their connections to Hamas and involvement in the October 7 attacks,” adding that the list of personnel under investigation is increasingly lengthy.
The ongoing investigation has so far revealed connections involving 14 UNRWA officials with Hamas affiliations, with two more being dismissed, meaning they will no longer benefit from U.S. funding for the next decade. One individual previously employed by the agency has already been placed on a blacklist maintained by the Commonwealth Fund.
In February 2025, President Trump ordered a halt to U.S. funding for UNRWA, although the agency reportedly received more than $839 million in support through the United Nations.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch remarked, “UNRWA’s connections to terrorism are irrefutable. Trump was justified in eliminating funding to them, but the United Nations did not take action.” He also expressed approval for the ongoing investigation by USAID’s Office of Inspector General to ensure that entities like UNRWA do not receive taxpayer money.
Adam Kaplan, the USAID Deputy Inspector General, is set to present findings from 149 active investigations to the House Foreign Affairs Oversight and Intelligence Subcommittee soon. These findings will cover audits concerning foreign aid and efforts to combat bribery and illegal activities, underscoring the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars—especially significant considering that USAID has been under scrutiny for fraud after its closure over a year ago.
Kaplan mentioned in a statement, “I’m proud that USAID OIG has achieved remarkable results during a time of notable change.” He pointed out the unique oversight capabilities provided by their offices in various countries such as Ukraine, Israel, and South Africa.
Further complicating things, Kaplan has stressed to Congress that a government oversight agency remains essential even with USAID’s shutdown, presenting evidence of fraud and abuse detected by his office. A few months post-closure, some executives were found guilty of defrauding taxpayers out of $550 million over a decade.
Another investigation led to the indictment of two foreign nationals accused of conspiring to misappropriate $650 million intended for HIV/AIDS initiatives in Kenya, which ultimately resulted in recovering $32 million for legitimate purposes.
Additionally, the Inspector General’s office played a role in the arrests of 19 individuals involved in visa fraud that spanned Latin America, defrauding victims of over $2.5 million. Recently, the office’s auditors discovered that more than $26 billion had been sent to bolster the budget of the Ukrainian government amid conflict with Russia, alongside issues involving duplicate payments to some individuals living abroad.
Despite no longer being included in the new structure post-USAID’s closure, the former office remains under scrutiny, even as proposals to dismantle it circulate among lawmakers.
During these discussions about federal spending, the USAID OIG received over $62.5 million that was initially designated for the State Department’s Inspector General.
A legislative proposal from May 2025, which has been revisited, recommends abolishing the USAID OIG and transferring its responsibilities to the State Department’s Inspector General. After a recent meeting between lawmakers and the state IG’s office, this approach was reportedly rejected.
Officials from the State Department’s Office of Inspector General have not provided comments regarding these developments.
