U.S. watchdog ‘expanding’ probe of UNRWA over ties to Hamas and murderous Oct. 7

"The US is ‘expanding’ its damning probe of a controversial UN relief agency to try to root out more potential members linked to Hamas and the Oct. 7, 2023, terror slaughter in Israel, The Post has learned.

The Office of the Inspector General is continuing to uncover ties to terrorism at the controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, according to a US official.

‘USAID is investigating over 100 UNRWA officials for both ties to Hamas and participation in the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks,’ said a US diplomat familiar with USAID IG’s ongoing investigation.

‘The list is expanding.’

So far, that investigation has identified 14 UNRWA employees affiliated with Hamas and referred them to the State Department ‘for consideration of suspension and/or debarment action,’ the Office of the Inspector General for the now-defunct US Agency for International Development has said.

Two other workers have also been referred for debarment, meaning they can no longer receive US funding for the next 10 years.

One former employee of the embattled Palestinian relief agency who worked as a school principal in Gaza has already been blacklisted from receiving federal funds.

One person IDed in the probe is Hafez Mousa Mohammed Mousa, who served as a UNRWA school official.

But the investigation found he was also an operative in Hamas’ East Jabaliya Battalion who helped with coordinating communications during the Oct. 7 massacre of roughly 1,200 — at least 46 of whom were American citizens...

USAID Deputy Inspector General Adam Kaplan shared some of the office’s prior published findings on UNRWA — as well as others from 149 active investigations with members of the House Foreign Affairs Oversight and Intelligence Subcommittee on Tuesday.

‘Of all award recipients, the least transparent is the United Nations,’ Kaplan said, adding that USAID OIG was currently investigating five subagencies at the UN with their response times ranging from two months to as much as two years.

The deputy inspector general also noted that it’s more difficult to apply penalties to the UN, compared with USAID contractors who can face criminal charges for violations..."