A solemn candle-lighting ceremony honoring United Nations employees who died in 2025 while working for the world body has sparked criticism after it unwittingly named an employee who was later revealed to be a Hamas commander. At the annual memorial service in June honoring 136 employees who died in service to the U.N. in 2025, Secretary-General António Guterres, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, and then-Security Council President Leonor Zalabata Torres helped light a candle representing "an eternal flame." An official later read Imad Youssif El Samhouri’s name alongside those of other U.N. employees as a violinist played somber music. El Samhouri was employed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a teacher and associate principal before becoming principal of UNRWA Rafah Preparatory Boys School B.
On Aug. 8, Hamas identified El Samhouri through messaging site Telegram as a field commander in the Al-Qassam Brigades. UN CHIEF BACKS OFFICIAL WHO REPOSTED ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVIST'S CLAIMS AMID CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION During the event, Guterres said that "more U.N. colleagues have been killed in Gaza than in any other conflict or disaster in the history of the United Nations. Some died alongside their families, in their homes, in the places they sought refuge.
Others were killed while carrying out their duties in offices, in shelters, and in communities they served. These tragedies weigh heavily on us all and should be remembered by the entire world. U.N. personnel must never be targeted." Guterres also said, "In keeping with long-standing practice, we have sought the consent of families to read aloud the names of those we honor.
Tragically, in the case of men who served with UNRWA, we could not reach those families because they, too, have been killed or forced to flee." Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, has written an open letter to Guterres and Baerbock asking both to issue an apology for the incident and acknowledge that UNRWA is "unwilling or unable" to roust terrorists from its schools. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Guterres, told Fox News Digital during a press briefing last week, "[UNRWA] and we are always very deeply concerned when allegations against the former staff is raised. Obviously, when his name was included, the agency was not aware.
I will remind you that the list of all UNRWA staff is shared with the Israeli parties as they are every year. His name was shared in the list of 2024. No concerns were raised based on that information from the Israeli side, and obviously, had those allegations been raised before, his name would likely not have been included." When pressed further about whether Guterres would retract the honors or issue an apology, Dujarric seemed to put the blame on Israel, "We're now stating our position, which makes it clear.
Had we known, and had we been told, his name would probably not have been included." Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told Fox News Digital, "It is outrageous to watch the U.N. spokesperson struggle to clearly condemn the crimes committed by former UNRWA employees. Israel repeatedly warned the U.N. that active Hamas terrorists were operating within UNRWA and played a significant role in the atrocities of Oct. 7.
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