UNRWA schools in Gaza: Principals, staff identified as members in terror units

A new report by IMPACT-se highlights the involvement of UNRWA educational staff in Hamas militant activity, inflammatory and inciting ‘educational’ material.

By OHAD MERLIN NOVEMBER 14, 2024 16:16

Twelve UNRWA school principals who are members of Hamas's military wing. (photo credit: IMPACT-se report)

In July, Israeli intelligence published an expose showcasing that over 10% of UNRWA's senior education staff in Gaza were members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad. 

The findings, shared with UNRWA as well, were quoted as casting a dark shadow over the organization's claims of providing neutral and non-extremist education to Palestinian children.

Now, a detailed investigation by IMPACT-se has identified twelve UNRWA school principals and deputy principals as active members of militant organizations, with many holding commanding positions in terror units. 

“This discovery directly contradicts UNRWA chief Phillipe Lazzarini's recent assurances to the UN General Assembly about his agency's commitment to tolerant and anti-extremist education,” said a spokesperson from IMPACT-se, speaking with The Jerusalem Post.

‘Bus bombing as a barbecue party’

IMPACT-se’s investigation focused on five UNRWA schools, each led by individuals with confirmed ties to militant organizations. For instance, at Al Zaytun Boys Preparatory and Elementary Schools, principal Mohammad Juma Shuwaideh served as a Squad Commander in Hamas's military wing's Gaza Brigade. 

Twelve UNRWA school principals who are members of Hamas's military wing. (credit: IMPACT-se report)

Similarly, both the principal and deputy principal of Al-Maghazi Boys Preparatory School B, Khaled Said Mustafa Al-Massri and Ahmad Samir Mahmoud El-Khatib, respectively, operated as squad commanders in Hamas' Khan Yunis Brigade.

One of the most alarming findings was the discovery of Hamas tunnels beneath two of these educational institutions - Al-Maghazi Boys Preparatory School B and Al-Zaytun Boys Preparatory School A. 

“This physical evidence of militant infrastructure directly beneath classrooms raises serious questions about the exploitation of educational facilities for military purposes by Hamas,” added the spokesperson.

The investigation of the school materials revealed deeply concerning educational practices within these schools. 

At Al-Zaytun School, fifth-grade students were taught to glorify Dalal Mughrabi, the terrorist responsible for the 1978 Coastal Road Massacre that claimed 38 Israeli lives. 

---

---

Classroom materials presented Mughrabi as a "combat leader" and "hero," encouraging students to name their children and streets after her.

The educational content extends beyond historical revisionism to active incitement. 

UNRWA-branded examination materials include questions stating that "Liberating the Al-Aqsa Mosque and making sacrifices for it is a duty for all Muslims." At Al-Maghazi School, teaching materials celebrated violence, including a disturbing reference to a firebomb attack on an Israeli bus as a "barbecue party."

The manipulation of educational content appears systematic and crosses multiple subject areas. 

At Ahmed Abdel Aziz School, maps erase Israel entirely, showing the whole territory as Palestine. 

Even science lessons are weaponized - a unit on 'liquid solutions' uses hunger strikes as teaching metaphors, complete with illustrations of shackled Palestinian prisoners and equations forming maps that exclude Israel.

Social media platforms associated with these schools further amplify these messages. 

Al-Nuseirat School's official Facebook group shared examinations that deny Israel's existence and include grammar exercises based on militant phrases such as "O son of Palestine, fight your enemy courageously." 

Similar content appears on Al-Mughraqa School's social media, where Israeli cities are consistently portrayed as Palestinian territories.

‘Contributing to the perpetuation of the conflict - rather than solving it’

“What makes these findings particularly troubling is UNRWA's apparent inaction despite prior warnings,” added the spokesperson. 

“In March, IMPACT-se presented UN Undersecretary General Catherine Colonna with a comprehensive 245-page dossier detailing evidence of incitement to violence and antisemitism in two of these schools. Yet, no meaningful changes were implemented.”

“The implications of these findings extend far beyond educational concerns,” they added.

“These UNRWA employees, who have been shaping the minds of thousands of Palestinian children, have continued to receive salaries funded by international taxpayers, even after the October 7 attacks. 

This raises serious questions about the accountability of international aid and its potential misuse.”

The spokesperson continued: “Our investigation suggests that rather than isolated incidents, these cases represent a systemic problem within UNRWA's educational framework in Gaza.

The combination of Hamas-affiliated leadership, militant-influenced curriculum, and the physical presence of terror infrastructure within school grounds points to a deeply entrenched problem that requires immediate international attention.

“This investigation comes at a critical time when UNRWA's role and effectiveness are under intense scrutiny, and a failure of the organization to address these issues, despite repeated warnings and evidence, raises fundamental questions about its ability to fulfill its mandate of providing neutral, quality education to Palestinian children. 

The findings of this investigation suggest that UNRWA's educational system in Gaza may be contributing to the perpetuation of conflict rather than fostering peace. 

With terrorist organizations apparently wielding significant influence over educational content and administration, the international community faces urgent questions about how to ensure that humanitarian aid and educational support truly serve their intended purposes without being co-opted by militant groups.

IMPACT-se’s CEO Marcus Sheff said, “We are deeply concerned, although unsurprised, by the ongoing revelations of terror links within UNRWA’s educational system, as uncovered in IMPACT-se's latest report."

"UNRWA has repeatedly failed to act despite mounting evidence and repeated warnings of the deep influence of terror groups on UNRWA’s schools. This is not just about accountability but about protecting young minds from an education that fuels hatred and extremism. Once again, it is evident that UNRWA’s education system is not fit for purpose," he added.