Documents Expose Hamas’ Secret Takeover of Gaza Aid Groups

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Newly released Hamas Interior Ministry documents—seized by the Israel Defense Forces and analyzed by NGO Monitor—reveal the extent to which Hamas infiltrated and controlled foreign aid organizations operating in Gaza. Spanning 2018–2022, these Arabic-language files describe an “institutionalized framework of coercion, intimidation, and surveillance” that allowed Hamas to shape humanitarian work, manipulate international NGOs, and exploit aid systems for intelligence and military gain. NGO Monitor president Gerald Steinberg said the level of penetration “was far beyond the scope of our expectations.”

At the center of Hamas’s strategy was its “guarantor” network. These were local Gazans, approved by the Hamas Interior Ministry, who were embedded into senior NGO positions—directors, deputy directors, and key administrators. Their role was to act as intermediaries between aid groups and Hamas leaders, giving the terror group direct influence over operations while maintaining the appearance of NGO independence. A 2022 Hamas document listed 55 such guarantors across 48 NGOs, at least ten of whom were confirmed Hamas members, supporters, or employees of Hamas-linked agencies.

The documents also show that many guarantors functioned as intelligence operatives. In one 2021 case, Hamas threatened the Gaza director of Mercy Corps for alleged misconduct, pressuring him into providing Hamas with “security, administrative, or financial observations” from inside the organization. Other NGOs appeared to adjust their activities to serve Hamas’s needs. An Oxfam irrigation project in a “security sensitive” border zone, for example, was reportedly used to conceal advantageous positions for Hamas fighters. And when local residents complained to the Norwegian Refugee Council about tunnel activity under their homes, NRC staff refused to investigate—highlighting the climate of fear that shaped NGO behavior.

Internal Hamas memos reveal deep suspicion of Western influence. A June 2020 document labeled Oxfam’s Jewish media officer a security “threat.” A 2021 order instructed officials to strengthen intelligence networks inside American NGOs that were reluctant to cooperate. The files also show that Hamas was not alone: the Gaza director of Catholic Relief Services, a U.S.-registered organization, was linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine—another U.S.-designated terror group.

These findings align with earlier revelations showing that major humanitarian groups—including the International Committee of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders—operated in the same medical facilities Hamas used as command centers. According to NGO Monitor, NGOs that stayed silent or complied effectively became participants in Hamas’s propaganda ecosystem, condemning Israel publicly while ignoring Hamas’s systematic abuse of humanitarian systems. This imbalance, it warns, has helped skew global perceptions of the situation in Gaza.

As Western nations prepare for post-war reconstruction—and consider restoring roles for UN-affiliated agencies—Steinberg warns that these documents serve as a critical alert. Without strong oversight and sweeping reforms, he cautions, the “aid-to-terror highway” that empowered Hamas for years will simply re-emerge. “The international community must wake up,” Steinberg said, “and take the long overdue measures needed to block Hamas abuse and prevent history from repeating itself.”

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