The US Department of Justice informed the Southern District Court of New York last night that UNRWA – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – will not receive immunity from lawsuits in the United States, as it is not considered an affiliated body of the UN.
The position even suggested that the UN General Assembly may have lacked proper authority to establish the organization initially. "UNRWA is not entitled to immunity," the update heading declared. This statement came in response to a major lawsuit filed by families of the October 7 massacre victims in American courts.
The Trump DOJ has reversed the Biden admin's position and made it clear that UNRWA and its employees are not entitled to immunity for their atrocious terroristic conduct.
File this under the category of "things that should not have to be said but thank God someone said them." pic.twitter.com/iRVSFZdV4v
— Mark Goldfeder (@MarkGoldfeder) April 25, 2025
"The complaint in this case alleges atrocious crimes committed by Hamas on October 7. And its factual allegations, taken as true, detail how the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine ('UNRWA') played a significant role in those heinous offenses," the Department of Justice told Judge Analisa Torres. "Previously, the Government expressed the view that certain immunities shielded UNRWA from having to answer those allegations in American courts. The government has since reevaluated that position, and now concludes that UNRWA is not immune from this litigation. Nor are the bulk of other defendants."
The American announcement carries significant implications – UNRWA and its employees involved in the massacre could be ordered to pay substantial compensation to victims and their families if the court rules against them. Furthermore, the US administration's determination that UNRWA lacks diplomatic immunity could substantially facilitate Israel's efforts to end the agency's operations within Israeli territory.
Survivors and families of victims from the October 7 terror attack filed the lawsuit in US federal court last year, documenting what they describe as more than a decade of fraud and corruption in financial aid distribution to the Gaza Strip through UN channels.
The lawsuit presents evidence alleging UNRWA orchestrated a $1 billion money laundering operation that funded Hamas, while simultaneously reducing humanitarian aid to Gaza residents and playing a critical role in the October 7 attack.
