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Terrorist Rockets Found in United Nations Operated School in Gaza

Palestinian National Authority Leader Mahmoud Abbas and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Palestinian National Authority Leader Mahmoud Abbas and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon / AP

Twenty rockets were found in a Gaza school operated by the United Nations, further confirming Israeli complaints that Gazan terror groups use civilian infrastructure to hide weapons, according to the Times of Israel.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which runs the school, confirmed that the rockets were hidden in its building and says that they were found during "regular inspection of its premises."

Israel condemned the use of UN structures to assist terrorist activities.

"Yet again, Gaza terrorists abuse UN facilities to carry out their violent activities. Hamas and other terror groups are determined to put civilians in harm’s way and will respect nothing in their violent frenzy," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yigal Palmor told the Times of Israel.

The UNRWA does not have the best relationship with Israeli officials in Jerusalem, according to the Times of Israel report:

Officials from the agency, which has a reputation in Jerusalem of being exceedingly critical of Israeli policies vis-à-vis the Palestinians, have been summoned to the Foreign Ministry. They have apologized to Israel for the incident, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said.

UNRWA has launched a "comprehensive investigation" into the incidence, the statement said.

The agency, charged with taking care of the welfare of Palestinian refugees, has "strong, established procedures to maintain the neutrality of all its premises, including a strict no-weapons policy and routine inspections of its installations, to ensure they are only used for humanitarian purposes," its statement read. "UNRWA will uphold and further reinforce its procedures."