Photo from Wikimedia Commons. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) announced in an April 22 statement that it discovered a hand grenade and military vest at one of its schools in the Gaza Strip. The statement noted the military items were found during a routine inspection at an empty school on April 21, and UNRWA informed Israeli and Gaza officials.
“UNRWA strongly and unequivocally condemns the individual or group responsible for this flagrant violation of the inviolability of its premises under international law and calls on the de facto authorities in the Gaza Strip to ensure that this inviolability is respected and upheld,” it stated.
The statement went onto say UNRWA does not allow weapons at its schools.
“At all times, and especially during exceptional circumstances like this period, the sanctity and integrity of UN installations must be respected,” the statement concluded. “The use of schools for military purposes is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.”
In 2015, the U.N. released a report stating Hamas and Islamic Jihad stored rockets in several UNRWA schools in Gaza in Operation Protective Edge in 2014; one of those schools was open for children to use the playground. Hamas and Islamic Jihad also launched rockets toward Israel from Gaza schools.
Pro-Israel activist Arsen Ostrovsky tweeted, “Just another day at @UNRWA…”
Just another day at @UNRWA … https://t.co/Ixwzw8kWX5
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) April 22, 2020
UNRWA was established in 1948 after Israel won the War of Independence, to provide aid to Palestinian refugees. The Trump administration ceased U.S. funding of the agency, arguing UNRWA needs to be reformed.
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