US Considers Hitting UNRWA With Terrorism-Related Sanctions

US officials are assessing whether to impose terrorism-related sanctions on UNRWA, a move that would be without precedent for a UN body and could cut the agency off from critical financing and operations. Internal discussions center on whether to target the agency as a whole or specific figures, amid ongoing debate in Washington over UNRWA’s role in Gaza and the region. The deliberations follow prior US funding freezes in 2024 and renewed scrutiny of allegations that some UNRWA employees abetted Hamas’s October 7, 2023 atrocities.

Supporters of sanctions argue the step is necessary to curb abuse and ensure that aid is not co-opted by terror networks. Critics warn that sanctions could jeopardize humanitarian work across Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, where UNRWA runs schools, clinics, and emergency programs for Palestinians. The legal questions are complex: designating a UN agency as a terrorist entity would break new ground and could reverberate across broader UN–US relations.

Israeli officials have long pressed for an overhaul of UNRWA and cite evidence they say ties some staff to Hamas activities; UNRWA leadership rejects calls for blanket punishment and says donor governments should focus on targeted accountability while keeping relief flowing. As US agencies weigh options, allies and regional partners are watching closely to see whether Washington opts for a sweeping verdict or a narrower, individual-based approach.

(TOI/VFI News)

“Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” – Psalm 82:4