New York Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres has launched a scathing attack on the international community, accusing it of complicity in terrorism due to alleged links between United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) staff and Hamas.
In a series of tweets, Torres claimed that the international community had "blood on its hands" for its association with UNRWA, which he alleges employs Palestinians with ties to Hamas.
Torres stated, "Hamas exists not to govern Palestinians in Gaza but to murder Jews in Israel. UNRWA, long funded by your tax dollars, has been governing Gaza at the behest of Hamas so that Hamas, which sees governing as a distraction, could dedicate itself to murdering Jews in Israel." He further expressed his shock at the international community's alleged alliance with Hamas, describing it as a "deal with the devil."
The congressman's comments come in the wake of numerous countries suspending their funding to UNRWA following allegations of the agency's staff involvement in the October 7 invasion of southern Israel, as reported by NBC News. Intelligence reports reviewed by The Wall Street Journal suggest that approximately 10 percent, or 1,200 members, of UNRWA's Gazan staff have connections to terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
An unnamed high-ranking Israeli official was quoted by the outlet as saying, "U[NRWA]s problem is not just a few bad apples involved in the October 7 massacre. The institution as a whole is a haven for Hamas radical ideology."
In response to the funding withdrawals, UNRWA defended its role in the Gaza Strip on Twitter, asserting that it is the largest aid organization in the region and that its assistance, particularly during wartime, is "indispensable."
Established in 1949, UNRWA was designed to provide relief and work programs for Palestinian refugees and their descendants. However, the agency has faced significant criticism for some of its activities. A November 2023 report by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education revealed that UNRWA-run schools use textbooks that glorify violent struggle, promote the erasure of Israel, and propagate antisemitism.
In a subsequent tweet, Torres added, "The international community has blood on its hands. UNRWA has long been propagating Jew hatred in classrooms, and UNRWA employees have been implicated in the atrocities of October 7th."
These allegations, if proven, could have significant implications for the international community's relationship with UNRWA and its ongoing efforts to address the Palestinian refugee crisis.
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