Schmale had told Israeli TV that Israel's bombing campaign didn't aim at civilian targets and since then UNRWA employees, Hamas and other Gazans have been calling for his scalp.
Schmale apologized profusely but UNRWA asked him to leave Gaza for "consultations." He later announced that he was taking an extended leave of absence.
Not wasting any time, Hamas leader Sinwar met with Schmale's Gaza deputy and apparent replacement Lenny Stenseth. CLearly he wanted to get a strong message across:
Nobody in Gaza says anything to the media that Hamas does not approve.
Hamas has vetoed UNRWA curricula before - when UNRWA gingerly announced that it would start teaching students about the Holocaust, Hamas made it clear that they would do no such thing.
The UNRWA teachers union, and I believe its other workers' union, is run by Hamas in Gaza. They make the decisions of what can be taught and said. UNRWA allows itself to be bullied by them.
In short, UNRWA is effectively controlled by a terror group.
