A group of U.S. citizens has filed a lawsuit in Washington, D.C., against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and its U.S.-based branch, UNRWA USA.
The plaintiffs, made up of victims and relatives of victims of attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah, claim the agency has been involved in supporting terrorism.
The case accuses UNRWA of violating U.S. antiterrorism laws by allegedly providing support—both financial and logistical—to groups designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
The plaintiffs also claim that some UNRWA employees were involved in violent incidents.
One family involved in the lawsuit is seeking justice for the murder of two relatives during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack in Israel.
They also say a child from the family was injured. Others are seeking compensation for earlier attacks. The lawsuit demands damages for emotional and physical harm.
A similar legal complaint was filed in New York last year, raising related accusations against UNRWA, such as connections to militant activities and use of agency facilities for armed operations.
UNRWA and its U.S. affiliate have responded by calling the claims false and politically motivated.
They argue that the lawsuit threatens essential aid services for millions of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA has filed a motion to dismiss the case, claiming immunity as part of the U.N.
However, legal support for that immunity has shifted. While the Biden administration initially defended the agency from such lawsuits, the Trump administration reversed this position in April, declaring that UNRWA is not protected from being sued under current law.
Outside of court, the Trump administration has pushed for the full closure of UNRWA, calling it compromised and unfit to operate.
This comes after UNRWA dismissed nine employees in 2024 following an internal investigation into alleged involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks.
UNRWA says that without U.S. financial aid, it may not be able to continue operations in Gaza. Aid has already been halted since early 2024.
he agency, which began operations in 1950, currently provides food, healthcare, education, and emergency services to millions of Palestinian refugees across several Middle Eastern regions.