Overview
- UNRWA confirmed that acting commissioner‑general Christian Saunders ordered the termination of 70 Gaza‑based staffers, a move reported on Friday, June 12, 2026, and described by the agency as a safety and security risk‑mitigation step rather than a finding of guilt.
- The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General referred more than 100 UNRWA employees for suspension or debarment from U.S. funds, with reporting specifying 108 individuals singled out for alleged participation in or affiliation with Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
- The USAID OIG inquiry has a wider scope that may cover up to 1,500 UNRWA employees, and U.S. Department of Justice and FBI investigations are reported to be developing in parallel.
- The OIG referrals name a range of roles among the accused, including school principals, teachers, security staff, counselors, and medical personnel, which could complicate aid delivery and staff recruitment in Gaza if suspensions are enforced.
- U.S. political pressure on UNRWA is already high after Washington cut federal funding in February 2025, and lawmakers have called for deeper steps against the agency, creating immediate questions about how humanitarian services to Palestinian refugees will be maintained and vetted going forward.