A UNRWA teacher denounces antisemitic indoctrination in Gaza schools
A teacher who worked for fifteen years with the UN agency claims that colleagues glorified Hamas and instilled hatred of Jews in their students
A Palestinian teacher who worked for fifteen years for UNRWA claims that staff members at several schools in Gaza encouraged hatred of Jews and glorified Hamas’s armed struggle against Israel. Her testimony was collected by the New York Post in an interview published on Monday.
Aged 40, the unnamed geography teacher claims to have been threatened after challenging a colleague’s remarks. An administrator at the institution allegedly threatened her as well, holding a pair of scissors: “If you don’t stop protesting, we will cut out your tongue.”
The New York Post did not reveal her identity, out of concern for her safety.
The teacher explains that she joined the UN agency thinking that a school under the auspices of the United Nations could protect children from Hamas's culture of violence. She says she discovered a different reality.
Statements attributed to teachers
The teacher claims to have heard a sixth-grade history teacher blame the Jews for the suffering of the Palestinians and present the creation of Hamas as a response to historical injustices. In another instance, a teacher is said to have encouraged young students to continue the movement’s struggle against the Jews, before congratulating herself to her colleagues on the ideas conveyed to the children.
The teacher claims to have refrained from expressing her objections, for fear that school officials might be linked to Hamas and that her family could be put in danger. The institution, located in the city of Gaza, has reportedly since closed and been turned into a shelter for displaced people, according to her testimony.
The teacher believes that the radicalization of students could fuel new violence. “It is more important than ever to pay attention to who is teaching our children,” she told the New York Post, calling on the international community to take action.
UNRWA once again called into question
This testimony comes as UNRWA is regularly criticized over the content used in its schools and the neutrality of some of its employees. After the attacks of October 7, 2023, a UN investigation found evidence suggesting that nine agency employees may have been involved. UNRWA announced their dismissal.
The New York Post also reports on a U.S. government report published in January 2026. This report highlighted content found in Palestinian Authority textbooks used in UNRWA schools that was deemed incompatible with the United Nations’ principles of neutrality and non-violence.
UNRWA did not respond to the New York Post's request for comment on the teacher's allegations.