Hamas mourns Fathi Khazem

GAZA, Aug. 21 (YPA) – The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) mourned Fathi Khazem, known as “Abu Raad,” who was killed at dawn during an Israeli raid on his home in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

In a statement on Friday, the Movement said the Palestinian people’s choice to resist Israeli occupation will remain firm, stressing that assassinations, raids and arrests will not break the Palestinians’ will or undermine their steadfastness.

Hamas added that the targeting of Khazem came as part of Israel’s ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people, adding that the policy of raids, assassinations and arrests will not stop the path of resistance or weaken Palestinians’ attachment to their land and rights.

The Movement called on Palestinians, especially young people in the West Bank, to continue resisting Israeli occupation and confronting Israeli forces and settlers, saying this comes in defense of Palestinian land, holy sites and rights.

According local sources, Israeli occupation forces raided Khazem’s home in Jenin at dawn, opened fire on him and killed him before withholding his body and transferring it to an unknown location.

Khazem was a well-known Palestinian figure in Jenin, and his name became associated with fighters in the city and its refugee camp, especially after the martyrdom of his son Raad Khazem in April 2022. Raad was pursued by Israeli forces after carrying out a shooting attack on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv.

His other son, Abdul Rahman, was later martyred, making Fathi Khazem the father of two slain Palestinians, while his daughter Shaimaa remains held in Israeli prisons.

The family home has been repeatedly raided and stormed by Israeli forces over the past years, amid continued military escalation in Jenin and its refugee camp and intensified targeting of fighters and their families.

@E.Y.M