US weighs terror-related sanctions against UNRWA -report
The Trump administration has discussed potential terrorism-related sanctions against UNRWA, Reuters reports, amid accusations that some staff were involved in the October 7 attack
Officials in the Trump administration have recently engaged in advanced discussions over the possibility of imposing terrorism-related sanctions on UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Reuters reported Thursday night.
UN leaders and members of the Security Council have repeatedly described UNRWA as “the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza.” Despite this, the Trump administration has accused the agency of maintaining links to Hamas—allegations UNRWA firmly denies.
The United States, once UNRWA’s largest donor, suspended its funding in January 2024 after Israel alleged that approximately ten UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 attack.
The internal discussions have triggered significant legal and humanitarian concerns within the U.S. State Department.
Among the options considered by officials was formally designating UNRWA as a “foreign terrorist organization,” a move that would effectively isolate the agency economically. It remains unclear whether this option is still under serious review.
During a recent UN Security Council session, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, referenced the case of Yonatan Samrano, who was kidnapped on October 7 by an employee of UNRWA. Danon presented a photo from the abduction as part of Israel’s argument against the agency.