UNRWA fires Gaza principal accused of joining October 7 attacks
Mar 9th 2026
The UN agency confirmed it fired Gaza school principal Hafez Mousa after Israeli and US investigations concluded he was a Hamas member involved in the October 7 attacks; the US later debarred him while UNRWA and international oversight bodies dispute what evidence has been shared and how investigations were handled.
- UNRWA says it placed Hafez Mousa on unpaid administrative leave on April 16, 2024 and terminated his appointment on August 20, 2024.
- Israel and the United States concluded Mousa was a Hamas operative who took part in the October 7 attacks, and Israeli investigators say he coordinated communications and used one phone for both roles that morning.
- The US debarred Mousa from federal contracting and grant activities, an action described as unprecedented for a staffer tied to a UN agency.
- USAID Office of Inspector General and other investigators sought names and evidence from UNRWA but reported limited cooperation and redactions from UN oversight channels.
- UNRWA says interacting with Hamas is sometimes necessary to deliver aid but insists interaction is not collaboration and that Israel and US have not shared substantiating evidence