UNRWA teacher tells ‘Post’ she was threatened for challenging pro-Hamas rhetoric in Gaza schools

A Gaza-based UNRWA teacher told The Jerusalem Post she was threatened with scissors by a school administrator after challenging a colleague's pro-Hamas rhetoric. Speaking anonymously, she said she did not report the incident to UNRWA due to lack of trust in the agency's ability to protect her, describing a broader culture of fear and indoctrination in Gaza's educational system.

A Gaza-based UNRWA teacher, speaking anonymously to The Jerusalem Post due to safety concerns, said she was threatened with scissors by a school administrator after confronting a colleague for promoting pro-Hamas rhetoric in a Gaza school. The teacher, identified only as T., said she intervened during a heated argument with a female teacher who was promoting extremist views. Shortly afterward, a school administrator pushed her into a room, pulled out a pair of scissors, and threatened to cut out her tongue if she ever mentioned Hamas again. T. said she did not file a formal complaint with UNRWA because she did not trust the agency to handle the matter confidentially or guarantee her safety, given the extent of radicalization she witnessed within the agency. She argued that UNRWA has not done enough to confront the culture of indoctrination and has failed to enforce strict boundaries on teachers. T. also described how Hamas uses means beyond physical intimidation, including threats against family and accusations against honor, to silence dissent. She stressed that not all UNRWA employees support Hamas but said the agency lacks structural safeguards for whistleblowers. The article frames the incident as part of a broader problem of extremist ideological indoctrination in Gaza's educational environment.