This issue is resolved on iOS bedrock 1.9.0, so I will try to close this issue.
I'm not sure why but JIRA won't let me upload the file. I will host it here for now but not indefinitely:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kxxjm6yesekkfeg/OdysseusPack.mcpack?dl=0
Just to restate the obvious:
In the past iPadOS had relatively poor keyboard support and no mouse support. So then, it made sense that Minecraft did not try to support playing with a keyboard and touch screen
But now, iPadOS has excellent support for a mouse, trackpads, and keyboards, so it seems like it should be technically possible to use those for Minecraft. And it would be fun!
The app’s settings menu provides UI for configuring keyboard controls, but they don’t work. This confuses and disappoints.
Basically, it would be great if those controls started working!