Hamas Files Detail 'Guarantor' Network Inside Gaza Aid Groups, NGO Monitor Says

Overview

• NGO Monitor published an analysis of internal Hamas security documents recovered by the IDF that describe a formal system of local 'guarantors' embedded in foreign NGOs operating in Gaza.
• A December 14, 2022 Ministry of Interior dossier lists 55 named guarantors tied to 48 NGOs, including U.N.-affiliated groups, with notes on cooperation levels and personal details; names were redacted in the public report.
• The report says guarantors were required to hold senior administrative roles, giving Hamas access to NGO operations and enabling coordination through the Interior and Social Development ministries as a condition for work in Gaza.
• Examples cited include officials linked by Hamas to Medical Aid for Palestinians, Human Appeal, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and a Catholic Relief Services director identified as tied to the PFLP, alongside entries labeling some large NGOs as non‑cooperating.
• The documents also describe humanitarian projects used to conceal tactical positions, citing an Oxfam irrigation plan via local partner Rai‑Consult, and the findings factor into debates over which organizations should manage post‑war aid under current planning frameworks.