Officials in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump are reportedly in advanced discussions about imposing “terror-related” sanctions on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), according to two sources cited by Reuters, raising serious legal and humanitarian concerns within the U.S. State Department.
اضافة اعلان
UNRWA operates in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, providing education, healthcare, social services, and shelter to millions of Palestinians.
Senior UN and UN Security Council officials describe UNRWA as a backbone of humanitarian response in Gaza, where two years of Israeli aggression have caused a humanitarian disaster.
However, the Trump administration accuses the agency of links to Hamas, allegations that UNRWA has strongly denied.
Washington has long been UNRWA’s largest donor but halted funding in January 2024 after Israel accused around 12 UNRWA employees of involvement in a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. In October of this year, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused UNRWA of being “subordinate to Hamas.”
It is not yet clear whether current U.S. discussions focus on sanctioning the entire agency, specific officials, or parts of its operations, nor have officials decided on the type of sanctions to impose.
The two sources noted that one possibility under discussion is designating UNRWA as a “foreign terrorist organization,” though it is unclear whether this option—which could cause severe financial isolation for UNRWA—is still under serious consideration.
A comprehensive move against the entire agency could disrupt refugee relief efforts and cripple UNRWA, which is already facing a funding crisis.
Source: Reuters
