Finally, an UNRWA Terrorist Pays the Price for His Role in the October 7 Atrocities

In early February of 2025 – and just a few short weeks into his second term – President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) entitled "Withdrawing the United States From International Organizations, Conventions, and Treaties That Are Contrary to the Interests of the United States," which, among other things, directed federal agencies to stop using U.S. funds for any contribution, grant, or other payment to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

From RedState's reporting at the time:

Trump's next foreign policy move, as reported by Politico, is sure to tick off all the right people, namely those whose pockets get deeper every time the largesse of the American taxpayer goes abroad. Not only does the president intend to withdraw the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council, he will also pull all future funding for UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), Hamas's biggest cheerleader and, by many accounts, collaborator.

The president's action was part of the DOGE-led effort to uncover and eliminate wasteful and often corrupt spending on foreign NGOs under the guise of USAID assistance. USAID had essentially become a slush fund for Democrats and the global elite, and many questions had been raised since October 7 about UNRWA's involvement in the atrocities committed on Israel that day.

Emily Damari, a British-Israeli citizen who was take hostage by Hamas on October 7, told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after her release that some of her time in captivity was spent in UNRWA facilities, where she was denied proper medical care despite losing two fingers and injuring her leg after her brutal kidnapping. The IDF found evidenc e that "over 450 terrorists belonging to terrorist organizations in Gaza, mainly Hamas, are also employed by UNRWA."

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On Monday, USAID's Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG) announced that at least one UNRWA official, Hafez Mousa Mohammed Mousa, would finally be held accountable for his role in the attack on Israel. USAID is leveling a 10-year, government-wide debarment on Mousa, meaning he will be "prohibited from participating in all United States contracting and grant activities."

Our investigation has led to the first known debarment by the United States of a terrorist affiliated with a UN agency entrusted to implement humanitarian assistance programming. The investigation remains active and ongoing, with numerous additional referrals expected. Aid…
— USAID OIG (@AidOversight) March 2, 2026

Our investigation has led to the first known debarment by the United States of a terrorist affiliated with a UN agency entrusted to implement humanitarian assistance programming. The investigation remains active and ongoing, with numerous additional referrals expected. Aid intended to support civilians in need must not be compromised, diverted, or otherwise impeded by those tied to designated terrorist organizations.

The USAID OIG called the investigation and subsequent punishment of Mousa "unprecedented, representing the first known debarment by the United States of a terrorist affiliated with a UN agency responsible for humanitarian assistance programming."

Our investigation has, to date, referred for debarment two additional former UNRWA employees for their participation in the October 7 attacks, along with 14 other UNRWA employees for having Hamas affiliation. This proactive investigation remains active and ongoing. USAID OIG, with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, will be referring numerous UNRWA personnel for suspension/debarment consideration based on Hamas affiliation and/or participation in the October 7 terrorist attacks. All subjects to date have been referred to the U.S. Department of State for consideration of suspension and/or debarment action.

At long last, someone tied to UNRWA is paying a price for the barbarism of October 7, but there is clearly much more to uncover. If USAID’s watchdog has already identified additional UNRWA employees with Hamas ties, then this debarment should be viewed as just the beginning of the punishments being dished out. American taxpayers should not be underwriting terror under any circumstances.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.

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