Fact check: The UNRWA knowingly allowed Hamas to infiltrate the organization.

1. Summary of the results

The situation regarding UNRWA and Hamas is complex and highly contested. While Israel and watchdog organizations have made serious allegations, investigations have produced mixed results:

• The UN's official investigation (OIOS) could not independently authenticate most of the information provided by Israel regarding Hamas infiltration ^[1]
• UNRWA did take immediate action by terminating 10 staff contracts when allegations were made, with 2 other accused individuals confirmed dead ^[2]
• UN Watch, an independent monitoring organization, claims that over 10% of senior UNRWA educators in Gaza are members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• Scale of operations: UNRWA employs approximately 13,000 staff members in Gaza ^[4], making the confirmed cases (12 individuals) represent less than 0.1% of the workforce
• Specific challenges:
• Hamas allegedly blocked UNRWA's attempts to implement biometric identification and ethics codes ^[4]
• The organization faces significant pressure from multiple sides, including both Hamas and Israeli authorities

Evidence quality: Many cases lacked sufficient evidence to proceed with full investigations ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement oversimplifies a complex situation and several potential biases should be considered:

• Competing narratives and interests:
• UN Watch and Israeli authorities present evidence of systematic infiltration ^{[3] [4]}
• UNRWA leadership, including Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, faces accusations of deliberately permitting Hamas members to hold senior positions ^[3]
• The UN's own investigation presents a more nuanced picture, unable to verify many of the claims ^[1]
• Who benefits from these narratives:
• Critics of UNRWA who want to see the organization defunded or reformed
• Hamas, which according to some sources, benefits from maintaining influence over humanitarian operations ^[5]
• Israeli authorities, who have strategic interests in demonstrating UNRWA's alleged compromised status

The truth likely lies somewhere between complete infiltration and complete innocence, with evidence supporting both concerning incidents and active efforts to maintain organizational integrity.