Ra’ad Fathi Khazem
Ra’ad Fathi Khazem was shot and killed by Israeli security forces on April 8, 2022, in Jaffa, after being accused of carrying out a deadly shooting attack in Tel Aviv the previous evening.
Ra’ad was killed by Israeli forces during an early-morning operation in Jaffa on April 8, 2022, less than 12 hours after a shooting on Dizengoff Street, Tel Aviv, left three Israelis dead and eight others injured. Israeli authorities accused Ra’ad of being the gunman in the attack, claiming he opened fire randomly at passersby along a busy nightlife area.
Following the attack, Israeli police and intelligence units conducted a large-scale search operation. They eventually located Ra’ad hiding near a mosque in Jaffa. According to Israeli sources, he was armed and posed a threat during the encounter, prompting Israeli forces to shoot him. No independent investigation or third-party verification of the encounter was provided.
Ra’ad’s death was framed by Israeli officials as the "neutralization of a terrorist," while many Palestinians saw him as a symbol of resistance, especially given his background and the conditions in Jenin Refugee Camp.
Biography
Ra’ad Fathi Khazem was a 29-year-old Palestinian man from the Jenin Refugee Camp in the northern West Bank. He was shot and killed by Israeli forces on April 8, 2022, near a mosque in the historic Palestinian city of Jaffa, which is now part of Tel Aviv. Ra’ad was accused by Israeli authorities of carrying out a shooting attack the previous night on Dizengoff Street, a popular nightlife area in Tel Aviv, where three Israeli civilians were killed and several others injured. Originally from a politically active family, Ra’ad’s father, Fathi Khazem, was a former officer in the Palestinian Authority security services. The Khazem family became a symbol of resistance in Jenin following Ra’ad’s death, which occurred after a citywide manhunt launched by Israeli security forces. Though not publicly affiliated with any political faction at the time of the attack, Ra’ad’s actions and subsequent killing were praised by various Palestinian groups and condemned by Israel as an act of terrorism.
Ra’ad Fathi Khazem was a 29-year-old Palestinian man from Jenin Refugee Camp, one of the most densely populated and economically deprived refugee camps in the occupied West Bank. The camp has long been a site of resistance and frequent Israeli military incursions.
Ra’ad came from a politically active family. His father, Fathi Khazem, is a former Palestinian Authority security officer and a well-known figure in Jenin. After Ra’ad's death, Fathi became a vocal critic of the Israeli occupation, and the family gained prominence in the wider Palestinian struggle. Israeli forces frequently raided the Khazem home in Jenin following the shooting incident, reportedly arresting or summoning relatives for questioning.
Ra’ad was not known to be affiliated with a particular faction at the time of the shooting. However, after the incident, various Palestinian groups, including Islamic Jihad and Hamas, praised the operation, while Israel condemned it as an act of terrorism.
Following the April 7, 2022, shooting on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, Israeli forces launched a massive manhunt. Ra’ad reportedly evaded capture for hours before being found in Jaffa, a historic Palestinian city that was incorporated into the Israeli municipality of Tel Aviv after the Nakba (the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948). He was discovered near a mosque, where Israeli authorities say he was hiding.
Additional Information
Sources & References
Ra’ad Fathi Khazem, 29, was shot and killed by Israeli forces while hiding near a mosque in Jaffa. He was accused of having carried out an attack on Israelis at a popular bar and restaurant strip in Tel Aviv the previous night. Three Israelis were killed in the attack, in which a shooter fired randomly at passers by on a busy street filled with bars and restaurants. A Palestinian man who Israeli police identified as the assailant was shot and killed by Israeli forces before dawn the following morning. On Friday, Barak Lofen, 35, died at the Sourasky Medical Center from serious wounds sustained during the shooting. Israeli sources said Lofen was a former Olympian kayaker and represented Israel in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.1 israelpalestinetimeline.org Open source