LONDON: Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian teacher, activist and journalist who contributed to the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” was shot and killed on Monday during a raid by Israeli settlers in the South Hebron Hills, according to local media reports.
The 31-year-old was fatally wounded during clashes in the village of Umm Al-Khair, where a group of Palestinians had reportedly been confronting settlers. Israeli media identified one of the settlers as Yinon Levi, a far-right extremist who had previously been sanctioned by the Biden administration — measures later lifted under US President Donald Trump — though he remains blacklisted by Canada, the UK, and the EU.
Witnesses and reports say Levi allegedly opened fire toward a group of Palestinians near the Carmel settlement, hitting Hathaleen in the upper body. He was rushed to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, where he died hours later.
Two other Palestinians were reportedly injured. Emergency responders from the Palestinian Red Crescent and Israel’s Magen David Adom were dispatched to the scene.
Israeli police said an Israeli citizen involved in the shooting had been arrested and the incident was under investigation. However, some reports suggested Levi was questioned but not charged. Four Palestinians and two foreign tourists were also detained by Israeli forces, according to a police statement.
