Hamas Controlled EU-funded NGOs in Gaza, Internal Documents Say
5th December 2025
When the European Commission carried out an urgent review in November 2023 of its aid programmes to Palestine following the October 7th massacre, it concluded that “there were no indications” that European money had directly or indirectly benefited Hamas. Brussels maintained payments and defended its control mechanisms, although it announced new clauses against incitement to hatred and increased scrutiny of NGOs.
One year later, internal Hamas documents–seized by the Israeli army and analysed by NGO Monitor–reopen the debate on the EU’s real capacity to operate in Gaza without falling at least partially under the influence of the Islamist group. Without demonstrating a direct diversion of funds, the reports describe a network of “guarantors,” ministries controlled by Hamas, and mechanisms of pressure that allow the organisation to influence staff selection, projects, and the flow of information.
According to the report Puppet Regime: Hamas’ Coercive Grip on Aid and NGO Operations in Gaza, all NGOs working in the Strip–including those receiving European funds–must coordinate with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), both under Hamas control. The key tool is the “guarantor,” a liaison approved by the security services, who often holds a management position within the NGOs.