The US is “expanding” its damning probe of a controversial UN relief agency to try to root out more potential members linked to Hamas and the Oct. 7, 2023, terror slaughter in Israel, The Post has learned.
The Office of the Inspector General is continuing to uncover ties to terrorism at the controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, according to a US official.
“USAID is investigating over 100 UNRWA officials for both ties to Hamas and participation in the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks,” said a US diplomat familiar with USAID IG’s ongoing investigation.
“The list is expanding.”
So far, that investigation has identified 14 UNRWA employees affiliated with Hamas and referred them to the State Department “for consideration of suspension and/or debarment action,” the Office of the Inspector General for the now-defunct US Agency for International Development has said.
Two other workers have also been referred for debarment, meaning they can no longer receive US funding for the next 10 years.
One former employee of the embattled Palestinian relief agency who worked as a school principal in Gaza has already been blacklisted from receiving federal funds.
One person IDed in the probe is Hafez Mousa Mohammed Mousa, who served as a UNRWA school official. But the investigation found he was also an operative in Hamas’ East Jabaliya Battalion who helped with coordinating communications during the Oct. 7 massacre of roughly 1,200 — at least 46 of whom were American citizens.
A separate UN-led investigation into UNRWA staff found just nine people had potential involvement in the carnage, and the relief agency’s commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini fired them.
USAID Deputy Inspector General Adam Kaplan shared some of the office’s prior published findings on UNRWA — as well as others from 149 active investigations with members of the House Foreign Affairs Oversight and Intelligence Subcommittee on Tuesday.
“Of all award recipients, the least transparent is the United Nations,” Kaplan said, adding that USAID OIG was currently investigating five subagencies at the UN with their response times ranging from two months to as much as two years. --->READ MORE HERE
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| photo credit: ISM Palestine/Flickr |
UNRWA fired Gaza school principal outed as being Hamas member, org. confirms to 'Post'
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that it fired a Gaza school principal after learning of his involvement in the October 7 massacre.
Both Israel and, later, the US have concluded that Gaza school principal Hafez Mousa Mohammed Mousa was a Hamas member who participated in the attacks.
Just recently, the Office of the Inspector General of the US Agency for International Development carried out an investigation into Mousa's involvement in the October 7 attacks.
On February 27, it was revealed that Mousa is an operative of the Hamas East Jabaliya Battalion and coordinated communications with other suspected Hamas members during the massacre while still serving as an UNRWA school principal. Israel separately revealed that, on the morning of October 7th, Hafez used the same cellphone to perform his duties both as an UNRWA school principal and a Hamas member.
The US subsequently debarred Mousa on a government-wide level, meaning he is prohibited from participating in all United States contracting and grant activities. This investigative result was actually unprecedented, representing the first known debarment by the United States of a terrorist affiliated with a UN agency responsible for humanitarian assistance programming.
UNRWA confirmed to the Post on Sunday that "upon the allegations made against Mr. Mousa by the Israeli authorities, on 16 April 2024," UNRWA immediately placed him on Administrative Leave Without Pay and that "upon completion of the [internal] investigation, his appointment was terminated on 20 August 2024." It did not directly mention Mousa's Hamas membership in the statement.
However, UNRWA argued that just because it is active in Gaza does not mean it is in collaboration with Hamas. The organization cited a US National Intelligence Council assessment, which said that while UNRWA has had to interact with them to deliver humanitarian relief, it does not mean the Agency is collaborating with Hamas. --->READ MORE HERE
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