UN Watch Demands Apology After UN Memorial Honored 1 Hamas Commander Among 136 Dead
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 26
UN Watch Demands Apology After UN Memorial Honored 1 Hamas Commander Among 136 Dead
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 26
Summary
UN Watch asked António Guterres and General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock to apologize after a June UN memorial for 136 staff unknowingly read the name of Imad Youssif El Samhouri, later identified by Hamas as a field commander.
Aug. 8 Hamas posts on Telegram identified El Samhouri as an Al-Qassam Brigades commander; the former UNRWA teacher and school principal had been honored at the candle-lighting ceremony as a staff member killed in 2025.
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the agency did not know of the allegation when the name was included and noted El Samhouri appeared on a 2024 staff list shared with Israel, adding he likely would not have been honored had concerns been raised earlier.
Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon said Israel had repeatedly warned about Hamas operatives inside UNRWA, while UN Watch cited social media posts, a martyr video and roughly 200 similar posthumous cases as evidence of broader infiltration.
The dispute lands amid wider scrutiny of UNRWA: the USAID inspector general is investigating 1,500 employees for possible Hamas ties and has already referred 108 staff to the State Department.