West Bank women on hunger strike, demand return of slain man’s body
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Around 60 women in the West Bank village of Umm al-Khair have entered the sixth day of a hunger strike, demanding the return of Awdah Hathaleen’s body for burial.
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Sara Hathaleen and Myassar Hathaleen, two of dozens of Bedouin women on a hunger strike demanding that "Israel" return the body of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, who was killed by an Israeli settler, are seen in Umm al-Khair, West Bank, August 4, 2025. (AP)
Around 60 women in the West Bank village of Umm al-Khair have entered the sixth day of a hunger strike, demanding the return of Awdah Hathaleen’s body for burial. Hathaleen was fatally shot last Monday by Israeli settlers outside the village.
According to the family of No Other Land's co-star, the Israeli military has refused to release his body unless they agree to a small, tightly controlled funeral held at night and to bury him outside the village, claiming the local cemetery is "unauthorized."
The IOF have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Yinon Levi, a settler involved in the killing and seen on video firing toward Palestinians, was released from house arrest and has resumed the construction work near the village that sparked the deadly incident. He had been arrested on suspicion of reckless manslaughter.
On Friday, a court rejected a police request to extend Levi’s house arrest, with the judge citing a lack of strong evidence linking his gunfire to Hathaleen’s death and noting claims of "self-defense" were supported by sources.
Israeli settler attacks in West Bank escalate
The family of a United States citizen killed in a settler attack in the occupied West Bank is urging the administration of US President Donald Trump to launch an independent investigation into the incident.
Relatives of Khamis Ayyad, a 40-year-old man who was killed in the town of Silwad, north of Ramallah, on Thursday, revealed on Friday that he held US citizenship and demanded accountability for his death, urging authorities to ensure justice is served in the case.
Mahmoud Issa, the cousin of the martyr Khamis Ayyad, recounted that settlers set fire to cars outside Ayyad's home around dawn on Thursday, prompting Ayyad to wake up and attempt to extinguish the flames, only for the Israeli army to arrive at the scene and begin firing tear gas in his direction.
According to the family, Ayyad was killed by exposure to tear gas and smoke inhalation from the burning cars.
Ayyad is the second US citizen killed by an Israeli settler attack in one month. On July 12, 20-year-old Palestinian-American, Sayfollah "Saif" Musallet, was killed by Israeli settlers while visiting relatives at his family's farm near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
Musallet's family stated that settlers violently assaulted him, while emergency responders were prevented from accessing him for three hours, leading to his death from untreated injuries before medical care could be provided.
