Arab Youth Killed by Israeli Police in Nazareth Area, 10th This Year

An Arab youth in his twenties was killed by Israeli police fire in the town of Yafa an-Naseriyye late Thursday night. Paramedics from Magen David Adom attempted resuscitation efforts on the victim, identified by local sources as Omar Hawari from the town of Reineh, who had sustained a gunshot wound. He was rushed to the English Hospital in Nazareth, where medical staff pronounced him dead.

Paramedics Ibrahim Abu Alil and Mohammed Jarrar described finding the victim on the ground surrounded by a crowd, without pulse or breathing. They administered advanced resuscitation, including artificial respiration and medication, before transporting him to the hospital in critical condition.

The police claimed their officers observed an individual with an automatic weapon firing at a building, prompting them to open fire, resulting in the fatal injury. This incident brings the total number of Arab citizens killed by police fire in 2026 to 10, according to documentation by "Arab 48".

Prior to Hawari's death, nine other Arab citizens were killed by police fire since the beginning of the year: Alaa Mahamid from Umm al-Fahm, Sham Shami from Acre, Ahmed Ashkar from Kabul, Rafi Abu Tarif from Yarka, Mohammed Hussein Trapin from Trapin Al-Sane', Ahmed Said Al-Na'ami from Rahat, Yousef Abu Juwayed from Ar'arat al-Naqab, Sami Ahmed Ja'sous from Lod, and Rami Shalabi from Sulam. An additional Arab youth, Sharif Hadid from Daliyat al-Karmel, was killed by an Israeli soldier on Highway 6 in January.

In most of these cases, victims' families and local groups have questioned the police's account of the circumstances surrounding the shootings. Previous investigations into the deaths of Arab citizens by police fire have been closed without charges being filed against officers.