{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-25-colleagues-applaud-trump-admins-exclusion-of-unrwa-from-gaza-peace-process/", "Ricketts, 25 Colleagues Applaud Trump Admin\u2019s Exclusion of UNRWA from Gaza Peace Process", "2025-11-13", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led 25 colleagues in applauding President Trump and Secretary Rubio for excluding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from the Gaza peace process, citing UNRWA\u2019s ties to Hamas.\n\n\u201cAs discussions on Gaza\u2019s future continue, we must avoid repeating the mistakes that empowered the terror group to take hold in the first place,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cFor decades, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has operated in Gaza, yet extensive reporting, investigations, and intelligence assessments documented systemic infiltration of the agency by Hamas and other U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn response to these alarming findings, the United States rightfully suspended funding to UNRWA and Israel barred the agency from operating on its territory,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201dThese steps were necessary because UNRWA has shown it cannot maintain neutrality or operate without being co-opted by terrorists. During your recent visit to Israel, you reaffirmed UNRWA\u2019s ties to terrorism, describing the agency as \u2018a subsidiary of Hamas\u2019 and making clear that it \u2018is not going to play any role\u2019 in the delivery of aid to Gaza. Reinstating UNRWA would only recreate the very conditions that allowed Hamas to entrench itself and exert control in Gaza.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe strongly urge the administration to ensure that UNRWA play no role in any efforts to stabilize, govern, and rebuild Gaza,\u201d the lawmakers concluded. \u201cInstead, we encourage the United States to work with vetted international partners, trusted regional actors, and nongovernmental organizations that are demonstrably free of terrorist influence and committed to transparency, accountability, and peace.\u201d\n\nAdditional signers included Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ted Budd (R-NC), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tim Scott (R-SC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Boozman (R-AR), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Katie Britt (R-AL), and John Hoeven (R-ND).\n\nFull text of the letter can be found here and below:\n\nDear Secretary Rubio,\n\nWe write in support of the Trump administration\u2019s efforts to advance lasting stability in Gaza and enduring security for Israel. President Trump\u2019s leadership has been instrumental in negotiating and maintaining the ceasefire agreement and in securing the ongoing release of hostages. It is vital to continue applying maximum pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages still held in Gaza. We also commend the administration\u2019s continued commitment to ensuring that Hamas is fully disarmed and can never rule again in the territory. As discussions on Gaza\u2019s future continue, we must avoid repeating the mistakes that empowered the terror group to take hold in the first place.\n\nFor decades, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has operated in Gaza, yet extensive reporting, investigations, and intelligence assessments documented systemic infiltration of the agency by Hamas and other U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations. At least twelve UNRWA employees took part in the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, and roughly ten percent of UNRWA\u2019s Gaza staff have ties to terrorist groups, with many more having close relatives involved in these organizations. Since October 7, Hamas has repeatedly stolen the agency\u2019s aid and supplies, weapons have been found in its schools, tunnel infrastructure has been uncovered in or near its facilities, and its buildings were even used to hold hostages. Long before the war, UNRWA\u2019s curriculum was already known to radicalize Palestinian youth by promoting antisemitism and glorifying terrorism.\n\nIn response to these alarming findings, the United States rightfully suspended funding to UNRWA and Israel barred the agency from operating on its territory. These steps were necessary because UNRWA has shown it cannot maintain neutrality or operate without being co-opted by terrorists. During your recent visit to Israel, you reaffirmed UNRWA\u2019s ties to terrorism, describing the agency as \u201ca subsidiary of Hamas\u201d and making clear that it \u201cis not going to play any role\u201d in the delivery of aid to Gaza. Reinstating UNRWA would only recreate the very conditions that allowed Hamas to entrench itself and exert control in Gaza.\n\nWe strongly urge the administration to ensure that UNRWA play no role in any efforts to stabilize, govern, and rebuild Gaza. Instead, we encourage the United States to work with vetted international partners, trusted regional actors, and nongovernmental organizations that are demonstrably free of terrorist influence and committed to transparency, accountability, and peace.We appreciate your leadership and stand prepared to work with the Trump administration to support Gaza reconstruction efforts and ensure lasting security for Israel.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-25-colleagues-applaud-trump-admins-exclusion-of-unrwa-from-gaza-peace-process/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9173568580299616, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}