Hamas Leader in Lebanon Killed by Israel Was UN Employee, UNRWA Confirms
Fatah Al Sharif, a senior Hamas leader in Lebanon who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, was identified as a United Nations employee currently on administrative leave, according to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. Sharif was killed along with his wife, son, and daughter in an air raid on the Al-Buss refugee camp, one of twelve camps designated for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
Sharif had not been transparent about his connections with Hamas and its military faction. Critics of UNRWA have consistently criticized the organization for failing to sufficiently eliminate Hamas militants from its personnel, with some pointing to Sharif’s associations as evidence.
UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler clarified that Sharif was an employee who had been placed on administrative leave without pay since March, under investigation due to allegations concerning his political activities.
A statement from Hamas praised Sharif for his contributions to education and jihad, referring to him as “a successful teacher and an exceptional principal” for many generations of Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA teachers’ union and other Palestinian groups had organized protests outside the U.N. agency’s office in Beirut following Sharif’s suspension, claiming that he was targeted for his political views.
