Trump Administration Considers Designating UNRWA as a Terrorist Organization
The Trump administration is weighing terrorism-related sanctions against UNRWA, two individuals familiar with internal discussions told Reuters. The move, if taken, would mark the most serious step yet in Washington’s reassessment of the agency after revelations of staff involvement with terrorist groups in Gaza. The move follows the administration’s decision last year to halt all US funding after years of filling the role as one of UNRWA’s principal backers.
Officials have not settled on whether the deliberations target the agency as a whole or specific personnel. Still, options under review include designating UNRWA as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), a step that would severely restrict its financial lifelines. UN officials have warned that such a designation could disrupt aid operations for Palestinians, given that UNRWA runs schools, health clinics, shelters, and relief programs across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
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Israel and US officials point to investigations showing that UNRWA employees took part in the October 7 assault and later helped guard hostages. A UN inquiry confirmed that at least nine staff members were directly involved. At the same time, an Israeli assessment found that more than 1,400 employees in Gaza belonged to Hamas or other designated terrorist groups. Israel has also accused UNRWA schools of promoting anti-Israel indoctrination. UNRWA has firmly rejected the allegations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in October that UNRWA had become “a subsidiary of Hamas,” echoing Israeli claims that the agency is deeply entangled with the terror organization that has ruled Gaza for years. The United States delisted its support in January 2024 after Israel alleged that 19 staff members had actively participated in the attack that launched the war.
Despite these concerns, senior UN officials describe UNRWA as the foundation of humanitarian operations in Gaza during the conflict’s second year. Any sweeping action against the agency would likely intensify its financial crisis and impair refugee services across the region.
Sanctioning a UN body would be unprecedented for the United States, a founding member of the organization that established UNRWA in 1949 to support Palestinians displaced during earlier conflicts. Regulatory, legal, and diplomatic implications are now under review inside the State Department as the administration considers its next steps.
