The New York Times has confirmed that UNRWA employees in Gaza were also terrorists affiliated with the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror groups and were provided with weapons.
According to the report, at least 24 people employed in 24 different UNRWA schools were members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or another terror group. Most of the two dozen served as principals, vice principals, school counselors, and teachers.
Among the trove of documents Israel seized are secret Hamas plans showing that the terror group believes that schools and other civilian sites are "the best obstacles to protect the resistance."
In several cases, these educators remained in their positions even after UNRWA was informed that they were terrorists. The dual terrorist-UNRWA employee profile is not unique to Gaza: In September, a Hamas terrorist serving as a school principal in Lebanon was eliminated. That terrorist formerly headed UNWRA's teachers' union in Lebanon as well.
UNRWA has claimed that it takes the "allegations" seriously, and told the Times that one employee had been placed on administrative leave and the UN had requested additional information on ten others.
Gaza residents said in interviews that the matter was an "open secret" and that one educator was regularly seen after hours in Hamas fatigues and carrying a Kalashnikov rifle.
At least one-third of the 24 were given the tools to participate in active combat, the Times added. At least one of the employees participated in a rocket-launching training course in 2023.





