House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has launched an investigation into the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) over concerns that the agency is hindering U.S. oversight efforts regarding staff members' alleged involvement with Hamas. This action follows reports that some UNRWA employees participated in the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas against Israel.
In a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, Comer requested all documents and communications related to the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) investigation into UNRWA staff accused of assisting or directly participating in the attack. The request comes after what Comer described as repeated failures by UNRWA to adequately respond to oversight requests from the U.S. government.
“Despite repeated U.S. oversight inquiries, UNRWA, either on its own or at the direction of UN Headquarters, has refused to provide necessary documentation related to its staff’s involvement in this atrocity. For example, although the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG) has requested pertinent documentation related to the termination of several UNRWA employees implicated in the October 7th attack, the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), at UNRWA’s request, has redacted valuable information, further obscuring the involvement of current and former UNRWA staff’s in the attacks. This is unacceptable, as the lack of transparency greatly undermines U.S. efforts to assess risk and obstructs the oversight responsibilities of Congress,” wrote Chairman Comer.
The United States is noted as being a major financial supporter of both the United Nations and its agencies since 1945—providing a significant portion of funding for general operations, peacekeeping missions, and humanitarian aid including contributions amounting to hundreds of millions for UNRWA specifically.
Intelligence reports cited by Comer indicate that several employees from UNRWA were involved in Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel—a group recognized by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization—which resulted in approximately 1,400 Israeli deaths and at least 32 American fatalities; between 200 and 250 hostages were also taken into Gaza during these events. Additional findings suggested that about ten percent of UNRWA's roughly 12,000 Gaza-based staff had affiliations with Islamist militant groups such as Hamas.
“In February 2025, due to ongoing concerns regarding the connection between UNRWA and terrorist entities such as Hamas, President Trump issued an Executive Order terminating U.S. funding of UNRWA. President Trump’s historic peacekeeping initiative was successful, but it raises serious questions about the UN’s lack of effort in facilitating this process and whether it deserves to receive any continued funding from U.S. taxpayers. Without full accountability, we cannot confirm that implicated individuals—regardless of whether UNRWA or the UN generally believes they are culpable—have been removed from their positions or that vetting mechanisms are in place to prevent future threats. The risk remains that current or former UNRWA employees tied to terrorism could resurface within other UN entities or NGOs funded by U.S. tax dollars. The requested documents and communications are required for verification that no UN entity or NGO receiving American taxpayer funds employs individuals affiliated with, or supporting, terrorist entities,” concluded Chairman Comer.
The committee's inquiry seeks clarity on whether adequate measures have been taken by both Unrwa and broader United Nations bodies regarding employee vetting procedures following these allegations.
