In June 2016, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) arrested Mohammed El-Halabi, manager of Gaza operations for the international aid organization World Vision, and charged him with diverting $50 million to terrorist organizations for construction of tunnels and other terrorist activity
According to the indictment against him, El-Halabi used fictitious humanitarian projects and agricultural associations to act as a cover for the hijacking of monies and materials to Hamas.
On June 15, 2022, the Be’er Sheva District Court convicted El-Halabi for diverting aid money and resources from World Vision to Hamas.
Below is NGO Monitor’s research on World Vision.
As one of the major funders of World Vision, Australia has been a central aspect of the story behind the allegations that a World Vision employee diverted $50 million to Hamas. Media coverage in The Australian newspaper has, likewise, played an important role in the public debate, and cited information from NGO Monitor throughout.
A number of important questions remain for World Vision to answer following the arrest of one of its workers.
An analysis of the annual reports of World Vision's Jerusalem-West Bank-Gaza branch makes it impossible to corroborate the organizations' claims that its manager of Gaza operations could not have funneled as much money to Hamas as he is charged with.
An analysis of the Jerusalem branch of World Vision, registered as an independent organization with the Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits.
The recent revelation that aid funds from World Vision have been being diverted to fund Hamas activities highlights the need for greater oversight in NGO funding.
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