Tareq Fawzi Ad-Damaj
He was was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers
Tareq Fawzi Ad-Damaj, a 29-year-old Palestinian from the Jenin refugee camp, was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers during a pre-dawn military operation on December 8, 2022. This operation involved the invasion of Jenin city and the refugee camp in the northern West Bank, resulting in the deaths of three Palestinians and injuries to several others. The Israeli forces utilized armored military vehicles and bulldozers to storm and ransack homes, occupying rooftops for sniper positions and monitoring purposes. The invasion led to massive protests in the area, during which soldiers fired live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets, and gas bombs. Tareq's death was part of a broader pattern of violence during this operation, which also saw the killing of Sidqi Siddeeq Zakarna and Ata Yassin Shalabi. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions and military actions in the region.
Biography
Tareq Fawzi Ad-Damaj, 29, was a Palestinian resident of Jenin refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank. He was one of three Palestinian men shot and killed by Israeli forces during a large-scale military raid on Jenin city and its refugee camp on December 8, 2022. The attack occurred during the early morning hours and resulted in the deaths of Tareq, Sidqi Siddeeq Zakarna (29), and Ata Yassin Shalabi (46), as well as injuries to several others. Tareq was married and had a child on the way at the time of his killing; a few days later, his wife gave birth to a baby boy whom the family named after him, ensuring his memory would live on through his son.
Tareq Fawzi Ad-Damaj, a 29-year-old resident of the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, was killed in the early hours of December 8, 2022, when Israeli forces launched a violent military incursion into Jenin city and its refugee camp. Known for his connection to the tight-knit community of Jenin, Tareq was among those targeted as soldiers stormed neighborhoods with armored vehicles and bulldozers, ransacking homes and occupying rooftops.
Eyewitness accounts and local reports describe a scene of chaos and bloodshed, with Israeli soldiers firing live ammunition at residents and ambulances alike. Tareq was killed alongside two others—Sidqi Siddeeq Zakarna and Ata Yassin Shalabi—both also shot during the operation. The violence left not just death but profound emotional wounds among the survivors and their families.
Tareq’s death came at a deeply poignant time. His wife, pregnant at the time of the incident, gave birth to their child just days later. In a tribute to her slain husband, she named the newborn Tareq, a powerful act of remembrance and resilience.
His funeral, along with the other two slain men, drew hundreds of mourners who marched through Jenin carrying their bodies and chanting calls for resistance and liberation. The event sparked a general strike and a renewed outcry against the ongoing violence in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Tareq’s life and death encapsulate the daily struggles faced by Palestinians in areas like Jenin—struggles for safety, dignity, and a future for their children. His story, now etched into the wider narrative of Palestinian resistance and loss, continues to echo through his son, his community, and the generations that follow.
Sources & References
Tareq Fawzi Ad-Damaj, 29, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during a pre-dawn raid in which three young men were killed and several Palestinians injured as the army stormed Jenin city and the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank.1 israelpalestinetimeline.org Open source