The parents of Yonatan Samerano, whose body has been held by Hamas since the terrorist group’s October 7 attack on Israel, have filed a lawsuit against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Samerano was abducted and killed while fleeing the Nova music festival during the attack. According to Israel Hayom, intelligence from the ongoing conflict indicates that his body was taken by a Hamas operative, Faisal Ali Mussalem al-Naami, who was reportedly employed by UNRWA in Gaza. His body remains in captivity.
The lawsuit, filed by the Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center on behalf of Samerano’s family, also targets UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and other officials. It argues that the defendants should not be entitled to the immunity typically granted to UN organizations and personnel.
The legal filing claims that UNRWA has acted as an operational arm of Hamas, forfeiting its diplomatic immunity. Additionally, it asserts that because UNRWA is a temporary agency rather than a permanent UN institution, it lacks the protections afforded to established UN bodies. The lawsuit further argues that any actions violating UNRWA’s humanitarian mandate are not covered by immunity.
Yonatan’s father, Kobi Samerano, demanded accountability, saying, “The Attorney General must immediately determine that UNRWA has no immunity and must stand trial for the act of massacre and kidnapping of my son.”
"This lawsuit will be another nail in UNRWA's coffin, which must pay for its actions. Since October 7, our lives have not been lives. We are waiting to get our son back. We will continue to fight until we achieve true justice,” he added.
Shurat HaDin President Nitsana Darshan-Leitner emphasized the broader implications of the legal action, saying, "The war on terror does not end on the battlefield, but continues until we achieve justice for victims who were murdered for no fault of their own."
"In this lawsuit, we demand to deter any entity, under the guise of an international aid organization, from engaging in terrorism and acting against Israeli citizens. We pray for Jonathan's return home and the return of all other hostages, and we will continue to pursue those who seek to destroy us,” she explained.
