The Israeli army announced on Thursday that it killed a Hamas commander who participated in the attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 and also worked for the UN aid agency. in the Gaza Strip. Israel has accused the UNRWA agency of having many employees who are also members of Hamas and other armed groups, reports Reuters.
After an investigation, the UN said in August that nine UNRWA staff were likely involved in the October 7 attacks and dismissed them.
The Israeli army announced that Mohammad Abu Itiwi was killed on Wednesday. It is said that he was the commander of Hamas and that he was involved in the murders and kidnappings of Israeli civilians. It is also stated that he has been employed by UNRWA since July 2022 and that his name is on the agency’s employee list.
UNRWA confirmed that Itiwi was a staff member and was killed on Wednesday.
UNRWA provides educational, health and humanitarian aid; millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has long had strained relations with Israel, and they have worsened since the beginning of the war in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly called for the dissolution of UNRWA.