A US nonprofit that has raised millions of dollars for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is being sued by 10 survivors and family members of victims killed in the October 7 terrorist attack. is being woken up. As for southern Israel, it claims that the U.S.-based organization has knowingly provided material support to Hamas and terrorist activities for many years.
The lawsuit was filed earlier this month on behalf of Rishay Ravi, Noah Newman, Adin Guess, Maya Pariser, Natalie Sanandaj, Yoni Diller, Hagar Almog, David Blomberg, Lior Bar Or, and Ariel Ain. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. – against UNRWA USA National Committee, UNRWA USA and he claims that UNRWA is “[i]next [l]“Inked” support for Hamas.
“501(c)(3) nonprofits usually do a good job: feeding the hungry, helping the poor, and housing the homeless. But in rare cases, 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit organizations may fund international terrorists in a conspiracy to kill more than 1,200 innocent people,” the complaint states. “This case concerns one of those rare cases.”
More than 1,200 Israelis were killed, more than 6,900 civilians were injured, and hundreds more were taken hostage when Hamas launched a surprise attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
White House prepares for UNRWA funding to be permanently suspended by Congress
A FOX News Digital investigation found that from 2009 to 2024, just under $4 billion in taxpayer dollars went to humanitarian relief organizations. (Mahmoud Issa/SOPA Image/LightRocket, Getty Images)
“During this attack, Hamas terrorists brutally beat, tortured, raped, and killed men, women, and children. However, Hamas did not carry out these attacks alone. Rather, they “Near East Area (UNRWA) and Defendant UNRWA USA National Committee, Inc. (“UNRWA USA”), which received financial assistance from Refugee Relief and Works Agency,” the complaint states.
Earlier this year, the Israeli government charged 12 UNRWA employees with direct participation in the October 7 attack, and the United States and at least a dozen other countries suspended funding to the agency following a UN investigation. The situation arose.
However, Mark Goldfeder, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, told Fox News Digital that UNRWA USA did not stop sending money to UNRWA until March 1.
“It’s too little, too late. They were funding UNRWA up to that point even after reports emerged that UNRWA personnel were literally participating in genocide,” Goldfeder said on Wednesday. “Even after the United States stopped its own contributions to UNRWA, they nevertheless continued to fundraise and send money.”
Protesters hold placards and flags outside the UNRWA office in Jerusalem on February 5, 2024, demanding their expulsion from the city. (Amir Levi/Getty Images)
“This is the largest private donor to UNRWA, and they are substantially, knowingly, actively and systematically using philanthropy to operate a terrorist financing scheme in violation of federal law.” ” Goldfeder said. “And the evidence has gotten to the point where it’s so overwhelming that even UNRWA USA has stopped donating to UNRWA because they can’t deny it publicly now, but they’re not sure what they’re saying. I knew from the beginning that I was doing something wrong, so I have to take responsibility.” ”
The complaint alleges that UNRWA USA “works with and on behalf of Hamas, provides operational and financial support to its activities, and that UNRWA USA acts on behalf of Hamas in the name of humanitarian assistance.” “We have been and are fully aware that we are aiding, abetting, and providing material support to these activities.” . ”
“UNRWA USA collects donations in the United States and transfers nearly all of those funds to UNRWA, which conducts significant operations in the Gaza Strip,” the complaint states. “Once the funds arrive in the Gaza Strip, UNRWA redistributes them to the salaries of Hamas members, some of whom have been directly involved in terrorist acts, including but not limited to the October 7 atrocities. “We will also redistribute funds to schools that are used to store Hamas funds, weapons and other equipment, and the production of educational materials that promote violence against Jews, including the destruction of the State of Israel.”
Fox News Digital reached out to UNRWA USA for comment on the lawsuit, but did not immediately receive a response.
American survivor of Hamas attack at music festival returns home to see anti-Israel demonstrations in the country: ‘I don’t feel safe’
The complaint alleges that UNRWA USA “intentionally and knowingly raised and transferred such funds with the intent that designated foreign terrorist organizations and their members would use such funds for terrorist purposes” and ” knowingly, intentionally, directly and indirectly.” Collaborate and agree with UNRWA, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations and their members and their terrorist activities. ”
The complaint also states that UNRWA USA and UNRWA have “common missions, finances, and activities” and “employ overlapping personnel.” The report cites posts on social media platform The complaint also states that UNRWA U.S. Director Karen Abuzaid, who was appointed UNRWA Director in 2005, “expressed in April 2006 that she had been meeting frequently with Hamas and would continue to do so.” There is.
The plaintiffs accuse UNRWA USA of violating anti-terrorism laws and the Alien Tort Act.
A group of seven Republican senators last month wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland against the United States UNRWA and its principals and leaders “for knowingly providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas.” requested the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation.
“This assistance is… “We have promoted and continue to promote terrorism, including the October 7 terrorist attacks.” said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Tennessee, R-Florida, Pete Ricketts, R-Nebraska, and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee.
According to its 2021 annual report, UNRWA USA distributed approximately $5 million in contributions to UNRWA that year, making the organization UNRWA’s largest institutional donor. The senators also noted that in 2004, then-UNRWA Secretary-General Peter Hansen said in an interview, “While we are certain that there are members of Hamas on UNRWA’s payroll, we do not believe that it is a crime.” also mentioned.
“That assessment is wrong. In fact, it is a crime,” the senators’ Feb. 15 letter said.
Thousands of people led by families of hostages march into Jerusalem on March 2, 2024, on the fourth and final day of the “Unite for the Liberation of Hostages” march in Jerusalem. The march began at the Nova festival site in Reims. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Alongside the civil suit seeking monetary damages, Goldfeder told Fox News Digital that he expects the Department of Justice to launch a criminal investigation and hold UNRWA USA accountable.
Experts call ‘ridiculous’ leak of UNRWA report alleging Israel forced workers to make false statements
On February 13, the Senate passed a controversial $95 billion national security supplemental package to support Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. It includes provisions blocking funding to UNRWA. The Biden administration said it would wait for the results of the U.N. investigation into UNRWA before deciding whether to resume funding.
Bipartisan opposition to the relief agency has grown, prompting the White House to explore other ways to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza if Congress permanently halts funding to UNRWA. The United States is the largest donor to UNRWA, typically contributing between $300 million and $400 million annually.
Ravi, an Israeli national, is filing a lawsuit because her husband, Omri Milan, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7 and is still being held hostage. Newman’s younger brother, David Yair Shalom Newman, was killed by Hamas terrorists at the Nova Music Festival. They are both dual citizens of the United States and Israel, and were.
Diller, Pariser, Bromberg, Orr, who is a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, and Sanandaj, a U.S. citizen visiting from New York, all fled by car and on foot (in some cases for hours) before joining Hamas at the Nova festival. succeeded in escaping the attack. He came under heavy gunfire and was forced to witness the slaughter of his friends and participants. Israeli national Ain Gul was sleeping on Zikim Beach when a swarm of terrorists began invading the coast by boat, but somehow managed to escape the attack alive. Guess, an American citizen, and Almog, an Israeli citizen, were not home in the kibbutz when Hamas attacked, but they witnessed the massacre of community members in a shared WhatsApp group where their loved ones were pleading for help.
“They’ve been through hell, each of them has been through their own hell, and many of them are still in hell,” Goldfeder said of the plaintiffs.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
According to UN Watch, about 10% of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza have ties to Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group, and 50% have close relatives affiliated with those organizations.
“UNRWA has proven time and time again that they are completely and morally bankrupt. UNRWA is Hamas. In 2004 they announced that they had Hamas on their pay scale. “I recognize that, but I don’t think it’s a crime. Well, they’re wrong. “Under American law, that’s a crime. It’s material support for terrorism,” Goldfeder said. Ta.
