Ahmad Hikmat Saif

Ahmad Hikmat Saif was a 23-year-old Palestinian from the village of Burqa, located northwest of Nablus in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. Known by family and friends as a compassionate and hopeful young man, Ahmad was actively engaged in his community and passionate about the Palestinian cause.

On March 1, 2022, just hours after celebrating his engagement, Ahmad participated in a peaceful demonstration in Burqa. The protest was organized in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails, many of whom face ongoing violations of their human rights. Despite the nonviolent nature of the procession, Israeli soldiers invaded the village, firing live rounds and attacking the demonstrators.

During this incursion, Ahmad was shot three times with live ammunition — once in the chest, once in the abdomen (with the bullet lodging in his lung), and once in the left thigh and leg. The injuries were grave: one bullet severed a main artery causing severe bleeding, and another wounded his spine. He was rushed to an intensive care unit at a hospital in Nablus where he underwent multiple surgeries and received extensive blood transfusions—25 units in total—to address the severe internal bleeding.

Despite the efforts of medical staff, Ahmad’s condition remained critical, and after several days in intensive care, he succumbed to his injuries on March 9, 2022. His death was deeply mourned by his family, friends, and fiancée, who had shared dreams of a future together and had planned their official engagement ceremony for the coming June.

Ahmad’s shooting highlights the ongoing violence and harsh realities faced by Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank, particularly in villages like Burqa that experience frequent military raids and settler violence. His death is emblematic of the broader struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom, dignity, and human rights amid ongoing occupation and conflict.