Israeli forces shot and killed Fathi Khazem, the father of martyred Palestinians Raad and Abdulrahman Khazem, during a military raid on his home near the main roundabout in central Jenin, according to Palestinian reports.

Khazem, widely known as Abu Raad, was reportedly targeted during an Israeli special-forces operation in Jenin. Palestinian sources said Israeli forces stormed his home and opened fire, killing him during the raid.

The killing adds another tragic chapter to the Khazem family’s long confrontation with Israeli occupation forces. Fathi Khazem’s son Raad Khazem was martyred by Israeli forces in April 2022 following a shooting operation in Tel Aviv. Months later, Abdulrahman Khazem was also martyred during a large-scale Israeli military assault on Jenin in September 2022.

Following the martyrdom of his sons, Fathi Khazem became a prominent Palestinian voice, particularly in Jenin, where he repeatedly spoke about the suffering of Palestinian families facing Israeli raids, arrests and killings.

Palestinian sources said Friday’s operation was carried out by Israeli special forces in the center of Jenin. The raid reportedly involved the surrounding of Khazem’s home before Israeli troops opened fire.

The incident comes as Israeli military operations across the occupied West Bank continue, with Jenin and its refugee camp remaining frequent targets of raids, arrests and armed incursions.

Palestinians have repeatedly condemned such operations as part of Israel’s wider campaign of collective punishment and repression in the occupied territory, warning that repeated killings and raids are deepening tensions and fueling further violence.

For the Khazem family, the killing of Fathi Khazem represents another devastating loss. After two of his sons were martyred in Israeli operations, Abu Raad himself has now been killed by Israeli forces during a raid on his home, underscoring the devastating toll that Israel’s military campaign has taken on Palestinian families in Jenin. (ILKHA)