JERUSALEM โ Newly analyzed internal Hamas documents confirm direct ties between Hamas and former World Vision Gaza director Mohammed el Halabi, according to research conducted by NGO Monitor and reported by Australian media outlets including The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.
The documents, which NGO Monitor said were authored by Hamas officials, indicate that the organization maintained communication with el Halabi and actively monitored and coordinated efforts related to his legal proceedings in Israel.
El Halabi was arrested by Israeli authorities in 2016 and later convicted in 2022 on multiple terror related charges, including diverting humanitarian funds to Hamas, assisting in weapons procurement, providing building materials for military infrastructure and manipulating hiring and procurement processes to benefit the organization. He was released in 2025 as part of a hostage and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas.
According to NGO Monitor, Hamas internal records described el Halabi as being โin contact with very few parties of brothers in the positive,โ a phrase the organization interpreted as referring to Hamasโ military wing, the al Qassam Brigades.
The documents also reportedly included references to Hamas efforts to influence public and legal narratives surrounding the case.
โOur monitoring and coordination with all relevant parties in the case had a role in thwarting multiple schemes to bring about the conviction of Mohammed el Halabi,โ one Hamas document stated, according to NGO Monitorโs analysis.
El Halabi served as the Gaza director for World Vision, a major international humanitarian organization, at the time of his arrest. Israeli prosecutors accused him of diverting millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Hamas over several years. The charges included providing resources for tunnel construction and supporting Hamas personnel through hiring practices and procurement manipulation.
Israeli authorities said that the diversion of funds and resources undermined humanitarian objectives and contributed to Hamasโ military capabilities.
The case generated significant international attention. Following his arrest and throughout his trial, World Vision and various humanitarian organizations publicly defended el Halabi, asserting his innocence and questioning the validity of Israelโs legal proceedings.
Several international organizations and government officials called for transparency and expressed concern over the case, while Israeli authorities maintained that the evidence presented in court demonstrated clear violations of anti terrorism laws.
NGO Monitor President Professor Gerald M. Steinberg said the newly analyzed documents provide additional confirmation of Israeli judicial findings.
โThe Hamas documents clearly demonstrate that attacks on the Israeli justice system from the leaders of World Vision Australia were part of a fabricated smear campaign,โ Steinberg said in a statement. โIn planning future humanitarian aid to Gaza and other terror controlled areas, the Australian government should learn from this failure. Oversight and transparency mechanisms are long overdue.โ
According to NGO Monitor, Hamas documents showed that the organization placed strategic importance on influencing public perception and legal outcomes related to el Halabiโs prosecution.
The case has raised broader questions among policymakers and humanitarian organizations regarding the risks of diversion of aid in conflict zones controlled by armed groups. Governments and aid organizations operating in such environments have increasingly emphasized the need for rigorous oversight, auditing and accountability mechanisms.
World Vision is one of the worldโs largest humanitarian organizations, operating in dozens of countries and delivering assistance to vulnerable populations affected by poverty, conflict and natural disasters. The organization has consistently denied allegations of systemic wrongdoing and previously defended el Halabiโs actions.
El Halabiโs conviction by an Israeli court followed years of legal proceedings, during which prosecutors presented evidence related to financial transfers, procurement decisions and operational support allegedly benefiting Hamas.
His release in 2025 as part of a prisoner exchange agreement did not overturn the legal findings related to his conviction.
NGO Monitor said its findings underscore the importance of transparency and accountability in humanitarian operations conducted in conflict zones.
The newly revealed Hamas documents, combined with judicial findings and media reporting, have renewed international attention on the intersection between humanitarian operations and security concerns in Gaza.
The case continues to be closely examined by governments, humanitarian organizations and policy experts involved in international aid, counterterrorism and regional security.
