The document, dated December 2022, also claims that NRC employees did not follow up on complaints from civilians regarding terror infrastructure in residential areas.
The same file claimed that an “administrative director” with Medical Aid for Palestinians in Gaza worked in “the positive” - a term for Hamas’ Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades - and was “affiliated with Hamas and has pledged allegiance to its rule”.
Screenshot of one of the translated documents claimed to be created by Hamas (Image: NGO Monitor)[Missing Credit]
Several of the documents describe the alleged charity employees as “guarantors” – a term which, according to NGO Monitor, was used by Hamas to denote an approved person working at an aid organisation.
The Israeli watchdog claimed Hamas engaged guarantors to influence decision-making and help circumvent bans by some Western governments on working with Hamas itself.
The report went on to say that the internal documents indicate at least 10 such guarantors who served as senior NGO officials were actually Hamas members, supporters or employees of Hamas-affiliated authorities.
The report also claimed to show that Hamas collected extensive personal information on guarantors, including details about their personal relationships, professional backgrounds, religious observance, political activity and affiliations and criminal backgrounds.
A June 16, 2021 document quoted in the report alleged that Oxfam worked with a Hamas-linked local group on a water project. It said the initiative to irrigate fruit trees had been planned to take place in “a border area and is security sensitive”.
The report claimed: “Through a Hamas-linked company, Hamas ensured this Oxfam project was implemented in a manner consistent with maintaining and concealing tactically advantageous positions for its forces.”
The files were translated from Arabic into English by NGO Monitor and an independent translator has confirmed the translations appear to be accurate.
Gerald Steinberg, founder and president of NGO Monitor, described the research as “timely and highly consequential”.
He said: “Governments and International organizations are planning to provide billions of dollars for the rebuilding of Gaza, and will partner with numerous NGOs to reconstruct infrastructure, provide municipal services like utilities and education, and probably distribute cash payments.
“We now know which NGOs and their local affiliates have been propping up the Hamas terror regime. Our systematic research provides a central dimension as the US and its allies vet potential partners best suited to preventing a repetition of the travesty by which Hamas controlled the aid frameworks.”
NGOs contacted by the JC dismissed NGO Monitor’s findings.
An Oxfam spokesperson said: “Oxfam has worked in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since the 1950s as a long-standing humanitarian organisation with robust systems and safeguards in place.
"After a review of the independent audits of the projects Oxfam found no credible evidence of the NGO Monitor allegations. Oxfam has no links to Hamas, or any other Palestinian armed groups. Hamas does not control, direct, or influence our programming work. No Oxfam funding goes to Hamas, or any other Palestinian armed groups.
"Oxfam takes the risk of aid diversion extremely seriously in Gaza, as we do across all our global operations. We have strict policies and controls in place to prevent and respond to any such risks.
"Oxfam applies comprehensive screening and due diligence to all partners, contractors and consultants, including checks through the internationally recognised LSEG World-Check system. These raised no concerns about the consultant or the project referenced."
A spokesperson for NRC said: “NGO Monitor’s accusation that the operations of NRC and a number of international humanitarian organisations have been influenced or controlled by any armed group in Gaza is unequivocally false.
“NRC’s work in Gaza and around the world is governed by humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence and safeguarded by well-established systems that ensure an unprejudiced provision of humanitarian relief to civilians in nee
“NRC remains focused on delivering principled, impartial assistance to civilians in Gaza who continue to endure profound hardship. We will continue to uphold the highest ethical standards in all our work.
A spokesperson for MAP-UK said: “We were aware of the report. Based on our examination of the information provided to us, the allegation is not supported by any evidence, and nor would it be.
“MAP has never had a role titled ‘Administrative Director’. In any case, our records, safeguarding processes and robust due diligence checks provide no indication of membership of any armed group by anyone within our organisation. We have robust due diligence procedures to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and UK Charity Commission guidelines.
“MAP is a non-political humanitarian and development charity and we continue to uphold our humanitarian principles and political independence at all times.”
