France urges EU probe into potential Hamas diversion of aid funds

French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad has called on the European Commission to investigate possible misuse of EU funding by NGOs allegedly controlled by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

In a letter to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and commissioners Dubravka Šuica, Michael McGrath, and Magnus Brunner, Haddad cited concerns that Hamas may have exerted oversight over NGOs operating in Palestinian territories since 2020, raising questions about the integrity of European humanitarian funding, Caliber.Az reports, citing Le Figaro.

Highlighting that the EU supports organisations such as CESVI (Italian humanitarian NGO), Handicap International, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the International Medical Corps, Haddad stressed that taxpayer contributions must be guaranteed to serve solely humanitarian purposes.

“France considers it unacceptable that European funds were granted to organisations operating for humanitarian purposes whose structures may have been influenced in some way by Hamas networks. These international organisations should not find themselves in a position where they have to accept support from a structure considered a terrorist at the European level to operate and provide their humanitarian services,” he wrote.

Haddad also emphasised that France, together with Austria and the Netherlands, has proposed measures to ensure that EU funds promote European values and do not benefit entities linked to antisemitism or Islamist networks.

Minister called for full transparency, stronger operational controls, and a more robust suspension mechanism for funding, emphasising that international organisations should not have to rely on groups considered terrorists under EU law to deliver humanitarian services.

He urged the EU and member states to remain vigilant in protecting European rights and values.

In a review that started in October 2023 after Hamas’s attacks on Israel, the European Commission examined 119 contracts worth €331 million directed to Palestinian territories, and concluded that there was “no evidence” those funds had been diverted to terrorist organisations.

After that review, the Commission said 88% of the contracts passed its due‑diligence screening and that it would continue support for development and humanitarian aid in the Palestinian territories.

Still, the Commission also suspended at least two EU‑funded projects (worth a total of about €8 million) that had raised “serious” allegations of hate speech or incitement — and introduced new “anti‑incitement” contractual clauses for civil‑society organisations receiving EU funds.         

By Jeyhun Aghazada