Hamas Calls the Shots on Gaza Aid

The Lie:

International aid organizations in Gaza operate freely and independently of Hamas.

The Truth:

Almost every humanitarian organization in Gaza—including UN agencies and major international NGOs—operates under Hamas control, approval, and surveillance.

Background:

For years, media outlets and aid groups have dismissed Israel’s claims that Hamas diverts and dominates humanitarian aid.
On December 3, 2025, NGO Monitor released internal Hamas documents proving that NGOs—local, international, and UN-affiliated—must comply with Hamas’ rules and demands. (NGO Monitor)
Organizations listed include: UN agencies, Doctors Without Borders, MAP, Oxfam, CARE International, CFTA, GCMHP, Médecins du Monde, NPA, NRC, PCRF, Save the Children, and Terre des Hommes.

Truth Explained:

All NGOs must follow Hamas security protocols and coordinate with its “ministries.” No aid project or service can operate without Hamas’ approval and continued oversight. (NGO Monitor)
This gives Hamas effective veto power over humanitarian work and ensures all aid activity aligns with Hamas’ political and military priorities. (NGO Monitor)
Hamas requires NGOs to appoint “guarantors”—local Gazans pre-approved by Hamas. Guarantors often hold senior positions (director, deputy director, board chair), granting Hamas access to the highest levels of each NGO. (NGO Monitor)

This system also allows international NGOs to circumvent Western bans on direct Hamas contact. (NGO Monitor)
Hamas uses guarantors to infiltrate NGOs, monitor personnel, and track their movements. (NGO Monitor)

Hamas blocks NGO activity near sensitive sites to hide: military installations, tunnel networks, fighter identities, and weapons stockpiles. (NGO Monitor)
NGOs have documented civilian complaints about Hamas building terror infrastructure in residential areas—but did not follow up due to Hamas pressure. (NGO Monitor)

NGOs in Gaza are fully aware of Hamas coercion but refuse to disclose it publicly. (NGO Monitor)
Aid groups regularly condemn Israel while downplaying or omitting Hamas abuses. This one-sided narrative shields Hamas, distorts humanitarian reporting, and misleads the international community. (NGO Monitor)
By complying with Hamas rule, NGOs gradually adopt Hamas narratives, making them part of a terror-controlled information system. (NGO Monitor)
The only major aid group operating outside Hamas control was the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, created under the Trump administration. Hamas—often via UN allies—worked to obstruct GHF operations and pressured other NGOs not to cooperate. Hamas also coordinated media attacks against GHF to undermine its credibility. (Daily Wire), (The Gold Report)

Takeaway:

Humanitarian aid in Gaza is heavily controlled by Hamas, which uses vetted local “guarantors” and strict oversight to shape, monitor, and exploit NGO operations. Most international organizations comply with Hamas directives, often silencing or downplaying terror activities and human rights abuses.