WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 1,500 current and former employees of the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees are under investigation for alleged ties to terrorist organizations in Gaza, according to U.S. officials familiar with the probe. [foxnews.com]

The investigation focuses on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, known as UNRWA, a U.N. agency that has faced increasing scrutiny since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. [foxnews.com]

According to U.S. officials cited in reports on the investigation, at least 1,500 current or former UNRWA employees are being examined for alleged links to foreign terrorist organizations operating in Gaza. The reported investigation is being conducted by the Office of Inspector General associated with the U.S. Agency for International Development. [foxnews.com]

The reported figure does not mean 1,500 employees have been found guilty of terrorism-related activity. Rather, the individuals are under review as investigators examine potential affiliations and activities connected to Hamas and other designated terrorist groups. [foxnews.com]

The investigation follows earlier allegations involving a smaller number of UNRWA staff members accused of participating in or supporting the Oct. 7 attack. According to the USAID Office of Inspector General, multiple current and former UNRWA employees have already been referred to the U.S. State Department for possible suspension or debarment after investigators found evidence of Hamas affiliation or participation in terrorist activities. [oig.usaid.gov]

The controversy has intensified international debate over UNRWA’s operations and funding. Critics have alleged that Hamas has infiltrated the agency’s workforce, while the United Nations has maintained that the agency plays a critical humanitarian role for Palestinian refugees throughout the region. [foxnews.com], [unwatch.org]

The United Nations previously conducted its own review of allegations involving UNRWA personnel following the Oct. 7 attack. According to reports, several employees had their contracts terminated after investigations into their alleged involvement. [foxnews.com]

The new U.S. investigation remains ongoing. Officials have indicated additional referrals and enforcement actions could follow as investigators continue examining employees and former employees linked to UNRWA operations in Gaza. [oig.usaid.gov]

Editor’s Note: The reported investigation concerns employees of UNRWA, a specific U.N. agency, and not employees of the United Nations as a whole. The individuals referenced are alleged subjects of an investigation and have not been publicly identified as having been convicted of terrorism-related offenses.