In a significant operation led by the 99th Division, combat teams from the 3rd Brigade, 8th Brigade, Commando Brigade, and the Multidimensional Unit carried out extensive searches last week in Gaza City. These operations targeted areas used by Hamas to reconstruct its military capabilities, including a multi-story UNRWA building, exposing once again the deep ties between UNRWA’s facilities and terrorist activities.
UNRWA Buildings as Shields for Military Build-Up
The IDF’s searches revealed that UNRWA facilities, intended to serve humanitarian needs, were instead exploited as sites for military build-up and storage by Hamas. Within these multi-story buildings, troops found weapons, ammunition, naval commando equipment, military vests, rifles, and critical intelligence materials. This discovery underscores a long-standing pattern where UNRWA premises are repurposed as logistical and operational centers by terrorist organizations.
During the operations, troops conducted targeted searches in various buildings, including an apartment in a civilian neighborhood where a Hamas operative had fortified his position. The combined efforts of the IDF divisions led to significant results: over the past week, more than 150 terrorists were eliminated, around 100 terrorist infrastructure sites were destroyed, and an underground workshop was located. These findings further demonstrate the extent of Hamas’s embedding within civilian and UNRWA-associated structures.
The presence of weapons and military gear in an UNRWA multi-story building points to more than incidental misuse—it highlights a disturbing trend of complicity or lack of oversight that allows such facilities to become part of terrorist networks. The repeated discovery of military assets in UNRWA buildings challenges the organization’s claims of neutrality and humanitarian service, indicating a need for stricter international oversight.
The IDF’s findings in Gaza City emphasize a clear and dangerous pattern: UNRWA buildings are being used as shields for terrorism, providing cover for the storage and planning of attacks against Israel. The international community must take decisive action to ensure that humanitarian organizations are not exploited as strategic assets for terrorist groups. Holding UNRWA accountable is essential to safeguarding its facilities for genuine humanitarian work and protecting civilian lives.
