Father of Kidnapped Israeli Joins Police in UNRWA Compound Evacuation in West Bank Village

Kobi Samarnu, father of the late Yonatan Samarnu who was kidnapped and murdered by a UNRWA-affiliated assailant in Gaza, joined Israeli police forces during the evacuation of a UNRWA compound in the West Bank village of Kfar Aqab on Tuesday. Over the years, Samarnu has campaigned to end UNRWA's operations in Israel, accusing the agency of fostering terrorism. He stated, "All the Hamas operatives and terrorists from October 7 are graduates of UNRWA schools; it was a breeding ground for terror."

Samarnu also criticized the United Nations for not taking responsibility for his son's kidnapping and expressed hope that the evacuated site would be replaced by an Israeli school to teach residents to be Israelis rather than terrorists. Israeli police, alongside municipal contractors, began dismantling the UNRWA facility as part of enforcing laws aimed at ending the agency's presence in Israel.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, called the operation historic and condemned UNRWA, claiming its employees were involved in terrorism and served as a Hamas front. He emphasized that UNRWA has no right to exist in Jerusalem or Israel. Samarnu further alleged that approximately 400 UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 attacks. The evacuation marks a significant step in Israel's efforts to curtail UNRWA's activities within its territory.