Israeli Forces Kill Father of 2022 Tel Aviv Terrorist After Five Years of Immunity

Israeli security forces killed Fathi Hazem, the father of the terrorist who carried out the deadly 2022 Dizengoff Street attack in Tel Aviv, during an attempted stabbing attack in the village of Talfit in northern Samaria. Hazem, a former senior officer in the Palestinian Authority's military in Nablus, had enjoyed a de facto immunity for about five years following a deal to return the body of Israeli soldier Tiran Fero. This immunity allowed him to avoid arrest and even receive hospital treatment without fear of detention.

After his son's attack in 2022, which killed three Israelis including Tomer Mordechai, Hazem became a prominent figure among West Bank Palestinians, delivering inciting speeches. He later defected from official Palestinian Authority roles and openly engaged in terrorism, founding the "Jenin Battalion," a militant group that expanded across Judea and Samaria.

The immunity deal was part of a security arrangement after the kidnapping of Tiran Fero's body to Jenin, where Israeli authorities chose negotiation over military action. Hazem was transferred between hospitals under Palestinian Authority protection, despite opportunities for his arrest. However, during a recent operation, Hazem attempted to stab Israeli soldiers, who responded with precise fire, killing him and ending his ongoing terrorist activities.

This incident marks the conclusion of a controversial period during which Hazem was shielded from Israeli enforcement despite his militant actions. The killing occurred overnight between Thursday and Friday in the Jenin area, signaling a renewed Israeli crackdown on militant leaders in the West Bank.