East Jerusalem Residents Charged with Murder Over Canceled Engagement

The State Prosecutor's Office has filed murder charges against two East Jerusalem residents in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in the Silwan neighborhood on June 29. Abd Odeh, from Silwan, is accused of murdering Hussein Dar Issa and shooting his brother, Hassan. Islam Alqram, from Issawiya, faces charges of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting after the fact.

The indictment, filed by attorney Rachel Aharoni Zevi, states that the incident stemmed from a dispute over the canceled engagement of the deceased's sister to Mustafa Abu Kalbin, which escalated with offensive social media posts. On the night of the murder, the deceased and his brother Hassan went to a meeting point in Silwan after a heated conversation with Abu Kalbin. Shortly thereafter, Abu Kalbin, another individual, and the two defendants arrived at the scene.

According to the indictment, Abu Kalbin began assaulting the deceased, kicking him and brandishing a knife. When Hassan attempted to intervene, Abu Kalbin tried to stab him, wounding his hand. While another person held Hassan back, Odeh allegedly shot Hassan in the leg from close range. As the deceased heard the shot and began to flee, Odeh reportedly aimed his pistol at his upper body and shot him in the back from approximately 11 meters away, intending to kill him. The victim died from his wounds.

Immediately after the shooting, Alqram allegedly picked up a spent shell casing and removed it from the scene before fleeing with Abu Kalbin. Odeh fled on foot. Both men remained at large for nearly two months until they were apprehended on August 30 in a hideout apartment in Hebron. The prosecution is seeking their detention until the legal proceedings are concluded.

Odeh is charged with premeditated murder, aggravated assault, and illegal weapons possession. Alqram is charged with obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting, and driving without a valid license. The investigation was conducted by the Jerusalem District's Special Tasks Unit.