Do you remember that back in June 2024, USAID issued a statement to prohibit financial transactions using USAID funding to UNRWA? Indeed, since then, USAID contractors and recipients cannot use USAID funds for subawards, subcontracts, or vendor agreements, at any tier, with UNRWA.
Today, we learnt that a Hamas top commander in Lebanon who was killed in an Israeli strike was a United Nations employee placed on administrative leave, said the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.
Fatah Sharif was killed with his wife, son and daughter in an airstrike on Al-Buss refugee camp, one of 12 dedicated to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, in the southern port city of Tyre on Monday. The Israeli military confirmed it had targeted him.
Sharif was not open about his affiliation with the Palestinian militant group and its armed wing.
Critics of UNRWA have repeatedly blasted it for not doing enough to root out Hamas militants from its ranks, and some seized on Sharif’s ties to both organizations.
Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva posted on X saying that Hamas announced Sharif’s death, “And guess what was the second job of Mr Sharif? He was a principal, head of @UNRWA teachers association in Lebanon.” The mission added: “This case proves that there is a deep problem in @UNRWA, the way they do due diligence about who they are hiring.” MORE