Palestinian Hamas-made rockets are fired toward Israel from the center of Gaza City. Image by Getty Images

Rockets discovered in a United Nations agency school in Gaza were returned to Hamas, an Israeli official said.

The rockets were handed over to local government authorities, a senior Israeli official told the Times of Israel.

The local government authorities in Gaza are Hamas, he reportedly pointed out.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis of the crisis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

About 20 rockets were discovered on the premises of a vacant United Nations Relief and Works Agency school in Gaza during what the agency called a “regular inspection.”

“This is a flagrant violation of the inviolability of its premises under international law,” UNRWA said in its statement, adding that the incident “endangered civilians including staff and put at risk UNRWA’s vital mission to assist and protect Palestine refugees in Gaza.”

The statement did not indicate who left the rockets in the school. It said the agency launched an investigation into the incident.

Israel has requested that the United Nations release photos of the rockets. The request has been denied, since the photos are evidence, according to UNRWA, which has said it will keep key players updated on the investigation, according to the Times of Israel.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Tuesday.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount