Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee called on Wednesday for the head of the U.N. Palestinian aid agency to testify publicly about its alleged ties to Hamas.

Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the committee’s chair, and Reps. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Chris Smith (R-N.J.) wrote to Philippe Lazzarini informing the commissioner-general of UNRWA that his offer to testify behind closed doors wasn’t enough.

“Many members of this committee are gravely concerned but sadly, unsurprised, by allegations that employees of UNRWA participated in the horrendous Oct. 7 attack and that thousands of employees have familial or direct ties to Hamas and other terrorist organizations,” the lawmakers wrote.

“We are outraged by recent reporting that a Hamas military installation and server room is located directly beneath UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters,” they added. “It is now more important than ever that the American people hear from you directly in a public setting.”

The committee Republicans first wrote to Lazzarini on Jan. 15 asking him to testify about allegations that Hamas was stealing U.N. aid and amid longstanding concerns about whether UNRWA was wittingly or unwittingly aiding the terrorist group.

Since then, Israel has leveled more serious and direct allegations against UNRWA, including that 30 of its staffers participated directly in the Oct. 7 attacks and that more than 10% of its 13,000 employees in Gaza are members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

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