Fathi Sharif was the head of UNRWA Teachers’ Union in Lebanon while also acting as Hamas’s leader in Lebanon. He was eliminated in September 2024 by an IDF airstrike. After his death, Hamas eulogized Fathi Sharif, acknowledging that he was their leader in Lebanon.
Following are only a few of al-Sharif’s countless public Facebook posts, and pictures of him from Hamas accounts, making his ties to Hamas clear. In his posts, al-Sharif celebrates the October 7th massacre, shares pictures of himself organizing political rallies for his UNRWA students, celebrates the killing of Israelis, states that resistance “by all means” is a “right,” glorifies various terrorists, and encourages teachers to disseminate maps that erase Israel. In turn, these posts promoting terrorism and the elimination of Israel were liked and shared by numerous other UNRWA employees. However, UNRWA has failed to fire any of these employees who violate the agency’s rules on “neutrality.”
BELOW: October 19, 2023 picture of al-Sharif sitting in front row at a Hamas event among its leadership in Lebanon. In the first picture below, al-Sharif is seen sitting with his arms crossed, as the Hamas chief political officer in Lebanon, Ahmed Abdul-Hadi,addressed the crowd one week after October 7th, to celebrate the “martyrdom” of three Hamas terrorists — Ahmed Osama Othman and Yahya Nayef Abdel Razek from Ain al-Hilweh camp, and Suhaib Omar Kayed from Wadi al-Zeina — who were killed while attempting to infiltrate from Lebanon into the northern Israeli community of Moshav Margaliot.
“We have very strong relations with Hezbollah. We were cooperating with Hezbollah before the attack on Israel and after and now we are in full cooperation,” Abdul-Hadi told Politicothe day before. “They are saying they are geared for a major war.” Asked about the October 7th massacre, Abdul-Hadi recently declared: “If we could go back in time, we would do it again.”
This event was publicized by a Hamas-affiliated news channel that publishes pictures of other Hamas events in the same location featuring children training to be terrorists:
On the same day that this Hamas-linked account showed UNRWA official al-Sharif attending the Hamas event eulogizing the terrorists, it also showed related photos of “Distributing sweets in Wadi Al-Zeina in the joy of our martyr, Saheb Omar Kaid, may Allah have mercy on him.” Hamas was celebrating a local “martyr” from the town, one of three Al Qassam terrorists killed on October 13, 2023 while attempting to infiltrate into Israel from Lebanon near the northern town of Margaliot. The account continued to announce events celebrating the Hamas terrorist, “Our hero martyr, Saheb Omar Kaid,” including a “victory seminar” in honor of the terrorist, the video of which was posted here. The terrorist was also honored at an April 1, 2024 event by the Islamic Association of Palestine Students, a pro-Hamas youth group that was one of many associations mobilized to pressure UNRWA into backing down from requesting al-Sharif’s resignation.
Picture of al-Sharif at a Hamas funeral on December 18, 2021:
January 19, 2024 photo of al-Sharif at another Hamas funeral for Walid Ahmed Hassanein.
Picture of al-Sharif attending a Hamas rally in Al-Bass Camp on October 13, 2023 in support of Hamas’ Oct 7 attack:
Al-Sharif appears in photos among the Hamas organizers of the rally which includes Hamas spokesman in Lebanon Jihad Taha.
On June 24, 2020, top officials from Hamas and other terrorist organizations attended the engagement party of Fateh al-Sharif’s son, Ibrahim Fateh Sharif.
This is al-Sharif and his two sons embracing Sheikh Haitham Abdul Karim Al-Saadi “Abu Tariq”, deputy emir of the terrorist group Islamic Ansar League.
Here is al-Sharif and his son Ibrahim with Hamas Spokesman, Jihad Taha between them.
Here is al-Sharif with the Public Relations Officer for Hamas in Lebanon Dr. Ayman Shana and Hamas’ UNRWA lobbyist Hajj Abu Hussam Zuaiter.
Here is al-Sharif with Hamas representatives Ahmad Abd Al-Hadi and Ali Baraka. Ali Baraka is a senior Hamas official who oversees the group’s foreign relations. He was one of 8 Hamas officials sanctioned by the US and UK after October 7th for perpetuating the massacre. Baraka has claimed that Hamas has been planning October 7th for two years and has been vocal in his support for the taking of hostages.
On February 1, 2019, top Hamas officials also attended the engagement of Fateh al-Sharif’s other son, Amin Fateh Sharif.
The Hamas trio of Ahmad Abd Al-Hadi, Jihad Taha, and Abdul Majeed Al-Awad who appear multiple times with al-Sharif have been hosted as the official representatives of Hamas in Lebanon at a series of meetings, including with the Ambassadors of Iran, Russia, Qatar, Turkey, Algeria, Indonesia, Cuba and Venezuela. They have also been hosted by Lebanese officials including the Minister of Labor Mustafa Bayram, and the former prime minister of Lebanon, Hassan Diab. They have also represented Hamas in meetings with the officials of Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and al-Jamaa al-Islamiya. Finally, they have also been interviewed as Hamas representatives by al-Jazeera and Newsweek where Al-Hadi once stated, “We coordinated with Hezbollah and with Iran before, during, and after this battle at the highest levels” concerning the October 7th attacks.
In at least one meeting with the Russian Ambassador, one with the Venezuelan Ambassador, and another with the terrorist group al-Jamaa al-Islamiya the topic of discussion was how to pressure UNRWA. In one meeting with the Vice-President of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, the trio conveyed greetings from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and in another meeting, Al-Hadi relayed a message from Haniyeh to Nasrallah through Hezbollah’s liaison.
Jihad Taha and Ahmad Abd Al-Hadi have also been involved in UNWRA demonstrations before. On January 23, 2016, both can be seen holding a banner in front of UNRWA headquarters in Beirut protesting changes to UNRWA’s health policies.
On March 29, 2018 al-Sharif organized an event with Hamas to honor the teachers in the Al-Bass Camp and oppose the Deal of the Century.
Hamas’ political and media relations officer Abdul Majeed Al-Awad told teachers “that this day is the day of insistence on liberating every speck of dirt from Palestine, and our Palestinian people have proven with their blood that we are the legitimate owners of the land, and the occupiers are the alien strangers.” He went on to add that, “we must all stand in one row to confront the deal of the century, stressing that the greatest response to the deal is the return marches, working to unify and strengthen the Palestinian ranks, and agreeing on a unified strategy based on the option of confrontation and resistance.”
In effect, al-Sharif is collaborating with Hamas to ensure teachers are implementing the Hamas philosophy of violent resistance in their classrooms.
June 3, 2023 picture of al-Sharif with Sheikh Haitham Abdul Karim Al-Saadi “Abu Tariq”, deputy emir of the UN-designated terrorist group Islamic Ansar League whom he describes in the post as “my honorable brothers”:
July 2, 2019 post praising Hamas “firm leader” Hassan Youssef:
This post is liked by several UNRWA teachers and his deputy:
June 4, 2024 post honoring “brother” Hamas member Abu Jihad Radwan Deeb.
Seen below at his funeral adorned with a Hamas headscarf, and in an earlier photo carrying a child with a weapon next to the casket of Hamas terrorist Walid Ahmed Hassanein:
Al-Sharif proudly boasts on Facebook about the many political rallies he organized for his students in UNRWA camps and facilities, including within school grounds. Below is a selection of photos from Al-Sharif’s Facebook page. In one photo, a student is seen holding a Hamas flag:
December 18, 2021 post glorifies three Hamas members who were killed by the PA:
In the post, al-Sharif wishes curses upon the PA while celebrating the Hamas members as “men of importance” and “protector of the book of Allah.”
December 17, 2021 post praises Hamas terrorist Hussein Al-Ahmed:
This post was liked by UNRWA teachers:
January 3, 2024 post meeting with the sons of deceased Hamas leaders who “are walking on their [fathers’] path”:
Abu Amer Fendi was the leader of Hamas operations in southern Lebanon and Abu Khaled Al-Khharaz was the deputy commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades in Lebanon.
The above post was liked and commented on by UNRWA teachers:
November 23, 2023 post endorses Hamas’s hostage-taking strategy when by thanking Hamas for freeing convicted terrorist Israa Jaabis who, in 2015, detonated a bomb injuring an Israeli police officer. She was released as part of the November 2023 deal for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
November 26, 2023 post celebrating Hamas’ achievement of setting Palestinian prisoners free in the hostage release deal:
February 16, 2024 post venerates “old union friend” and PFLP member, Muhammad Dheeb Al-Jadoua, as a “father,” “teacher,” and “friend”:
November 21, 2021 post celebrates Hamas terrorist Fadi Abu Shkhidem as a “martyr” after he was killed in the course of committing a terrorist attack in Jerusalem killing one and injuring four others. The text on the photo reads “our blood creates victory,” which is an endorsement of violent terrorism:
March 25, 2021 post commemorating West Bank Hamas leader Omar Barghouti (aka Abu Assif Barghouti) who had just died, while also referring to his son Saleh Barghouti, as a “martyr.” Saleh was a Hamas terrorist who had shot and injured seven Israeli civilians at a bus stop in December 2018, including a pregnant woman whose baby later died:
Posts celebrating October 7th: [1][2][3][4][5]
July 25, 2023 post encourages teachers to disseminate map erasing Israel. Accompanying text laments Israel’s creation which resulted in the area not “remain[ing] Palestine” and hopes for “return”:
March 31, 2024 post calling on the spy that reported him to UNWRA administration to “die in disgust”:
April 6, 2024 post endorsing Hamas, referred to as “the resistance”:
Full translation: “The resistance of our people will certainly be victorious, God willing, despite the failure of those who are negligent and the conspiracy of the conspirators. God is victorious over His command, and victory is only from God.”
As far back as September 21, 2013, al-Sharif had a post celebrating the kidnap and murder of an Israeli soldier in which he says “resistance” by “all means” is “our right”:
May 13, 2018 post calling for a return to Jerusalem through “resistance, liberation, and return”:
February 28, 2015 post endorsing violent resistance, proclaiming that it is not terrorism, it is an honor:
This post was liked by several UNRWA teachers:
One week later on March 6, 2015, al-Sharif reaffirmed his position by stating that “accusing the honorable resistance of terrorism is a disgrace…”
May 2, 2023 post eulogizing Khader Adnan, a senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group:
September 6, 2021 posts celebrating the Gilboa Prison break, where six Palestinian prisoners, including the former leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades in Jenin, escaped from Israeli detention through tunnels. Al-Sharif had five posts supporting this escape.
On September 26, 2022, al-Sharif eulogized Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, a head of the Muslim Brotherhood who is mainly known as the key figure in shaping the concept of violent jihad.
On May 23, 2021, al-Sharif praised his unity with Abu Ali Mustafa, who served as the former General Secretary of the terrorist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
On May 14, 2021 al-Sharif eulogized Mohammed Tahan, a Hezbollah terrorist who was killed attempting to infiltrate Israel to become a martyr. He is described by his family as “consumed by the idea of becoming a martyr — of fulfilling the destiny laid out for him since he was born.” His entire family is affiliated with Hezbollah. About his death, Tahan’s father stated “I wouldn’t expect anything less from him… My children are the same as well. Even my daughter, when she was little, wanted to have a plastic gun, just like her brothers. For us, freeing Palestine is tantamount to an obligatory prayer…We were raised to take the road to Jerusalem.”
To top it all off here is Fateh’s certificate of appreciation from UNRWA for his contribution to “enhancing the school community to guarantee a better future for Palestine refugee children”
