The European Union must pay much closer attention to how its money is used. This is not only about subsidy fraud inside some member states. EU funds also go to humanitarian aid and other well-intended projects outside Europe.
These funds must be monitored just as carefully as money spent inside the EU. If not, there is a real risk that money meant to help people in need ends up benefiting terrorist organizations. One of the places receiving billions of euros is the Gaza Strip.
For years, critics have warned that this money often does not reach its intended goals and instead ends up with leaders of the terrorist group Hamas, including payments to families of terrorists.
(Un)surprising Revelations
A new scandal has now come to light. The website Euractiv revealed that some EU-funded charities may have helped the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, even if unintentionally.
At first glance, these findings may seem shocking. But given what has happened in the past, they should not really surprise anyone.
The information was provided by the Israeli NGO NGO Monitor. It shows how Hamas sought to control organizations funded by the EU. The materials include internal Hamas documents to which NGO Monitor had access.
Hamas Exploited EU Aid
According to Euractiv, Hamas closely monitored international NGOs operating in Gaza and demanded that only “approved” intermediaries work with them. Some of these NGOs receive EU funding.
Documents from 2018 and 2022 were found in Gaza by Israeli authorities during the war that began after Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. They were declassified by the Israeli army and later analyzed by NGO Monitor.
These materials provide rare insight into how Hamas’ Internal Security Mechanism monitored and approved NGO projects in Gaza. They also suggest that European NGOs, often without knowing it, worked much more closely with Hamas than previously believed.
NGOs Caught in Hamas’ Web
According to NGO Monitor, Hamas used so-called “guarantors” — Gaza residents who acted as contact persons between Hamas and NGOs. Many of them held senior positions, such as directors or board members.
Some were direct members of Hamas. Others were described as trusted supporters or people “linked to Hamas.” This term was even used for a member of the Italian NGO Cesvi, which was funded by the EU.
A document from December 2022 included personal data of several guarantors and stated that they could be “used for security purposes to infiltrate foreign associations, their foreign leadership, and their activities.”
Hamas also had detailed knowledge of how NGOs operated internally. A 2020 report noted that the offices of the International Medical Corps (IMC) were closed for a week after the organization refused to submit financial and administrative reports to Hamas.
Once the EU-funded NGO complied, its offices were reopened. A December 2022 document stated that IMC’s administrative director was a Hamas member with the rank of captain.
The documents also show that Hamas attempted to use NGO projects to support its armed activities. A record from June 16, 2021 states that Oxfam worked with a Hamas-linked local group on an irrigation project for fruit trees, funded by the EU.
Hamas claimed the project supported its military goals because it was located in a sensitive border area. Hamas itself admitted that the project provided cover for resistance activities and was closely monitored to ensure it supported and concealed tactical positions.
Why Were the Rules Ignored?
These internal documents clearly demonstrate Hamas’ infiltration and control of humanitarian organizations in Gaza. They describe in detail how NGOs were monitored, controlled, and influenced.
None of these organizations had previously disclosed such practices. That is why my colleague, German MEP Niclas Herbst, has called for stricter screening mechanisms for NGOs operating in Gaza.
He told Euractiv: “The European Commission must finally take its own rules seriously and enforce them.” I fully agree — the rules are clear.
Since 2019, the EU has required grant recipients and contractors to ensure that no subcontractors, trainees, or beneficiaries are subject to EU sanctions. This also applies to Hamas. If NGOs fail to follow EU rules regarding terrorist organizations, they should not receive EU funding.
In its own interest, Europe must be more careful than ever about where its money goes. It is completely unacceptable for EU funds to support groups that openly despise Europe, our culture, and commit terrorist acts.
