BREAKING NEWS

UNRWA chief denies knowledge that suspended employee was Hamas leader in Lebanon

The UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) chief on Monday denied knowing that its employee Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin was a Hamas commander in Lebanon and called on states to push back against Israeli attacks on the agency.

The head of Hamas' Lebanon branch, Abu el-Amin was killed along with family members in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, the group said on Monday. He was suspended from his job at UNRWA in March following allegations concerning his politics, Philippe Lazzarini told reporters in Geneva.

"I never heard the word commander before," he said. "What's obvious for you today, was not obvious yesterday."