Father of 2022 Tel Aviv Shooter Killed After Attempted Stabbing Attack on Israeli Forces in Jenin

On the night of Friday, September 8, 2023, Israeli forces killed Fathi Hazem, the father of Raad Hazem, who carried out the deadly shooting attack on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv in April 2022. Fathi Hazem attempted to stab Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers in Jenin before being shot dead during the confrontation.

Raad Hazem, a resident of the Jenin refugee camp, perpetrated the April 7, 2022 attack, killing three civilians and injuring 15 others at the "Ilka" bar in Tel Aviv. He was later located hiding near a mosque in Jaffa and killed after a nine-hour manhunt by security forces. The capture operation began when two Shin Bet operatives patrolling near a mosque identified a suspect matching the attacker’s description. When ordered to stop, the suspect fired ten rounds at the operatives before they returned fire and killed him.

Following Fathi Hazem’s death, he spoke outside his home in Jenin, expressing hope for victory and freedom for Palestinians, invoking Allah and the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Several months after the 2022 attack, Israeli forces demolished Raad Hazem’s apartment.

During the operation in Jenin, clashes erupted between armed Palestinians and Israeli forces, involving gunfire and the throwing of heavy objects, stones, and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers. Palestinians reported one fatality, Mohammad Mousa Sabana, during violent protests, along with at least seven injuries, including one critical. Six suspects were arrested in Hebron in connection with the unrest.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions and violence in the West Bank, particularly in Jenin, a frequent flashpoint in Israeli-Palestinian confrontations.