US officials consider unprecedented terrorism designation as UNRWA’s ties to Hamas become undeniable and dangerous.US officials consider unprecedented terrorism designation as UNRWA’s ties to Hamas become undeniable and dangerous.
The Trump administration is engaged in advanced internal discussions on whether to impose terrorism-related sanctions on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Reuters reported Wednesday—an extraordinary step reflecting mounting evidence that the UN body has long operated as a willing extension of Hamas. Two officials with direct knowledge of the deliberations confirmed the talks.
The move, though unprecedented, follows years of warnings that UNRWA—tasked with providing education, healthcare, and social services to Palestinian Arabs across Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria—has been deeply infiltrated by Hamas operatives. Those concerns escalated dramatically after Israel exposed extensive documentation in 2024 showing that UNRWA employees directly participated in the October 7, 2023 massacre, the worst mass killing of Jews since the Holocaust.
Once the agency’s largest donor, the United States cut all UNRWA funding in January 2024. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later described the organization as “a subsidiary of Hamas,” a shocking indictment from America’s top diplomat and a reflection of bipartisan anger over how UNRWA facilities, schools, and personnel have repeatedly aided terrorist activity.
Reuters reports that the administration is evaluating several options, including designating the agency—or specific officials—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Such a step would devastate UNRWA’s finances and reputation, cutting off funding channels and isolating the group globally. If enacted, it would mark the first time in history that the U.S. labeled a UN agency as a terror entity.
Predictably, UNRWA officials expressed dismay. William Deere, head of the agency’s Washington office, said UNRWA would be “disappointed” if an FTO designation were in play, calling it “unprecedented and unwarranted.” But a senior State Department official bluntly contradicted that sentiment, calling UNRWA “a corrupt organization with a proven track record of aiding and abetting terrorists,” and warning that “everything is on the table.”
The White House declined to comment.
Meanwhile, despite Israeli intelligence proving UNRWA’s deep entanglement with Hamas, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel must facilitate humanitarian aid delivery through UN agencies including UNRWA, a decision criticized not only by Israel but also quietly by U.S. officials who view the agency as structurally compromised.
If the Trump administration proceeds, the FTO designation could redefine global humanitarian operations in Gaza and expose decades of deception that allowed Hamas to exploit international aid structures designed to assist civilians.
