Fadi Abu Shkheidem

November 21, 2021: Fadi Abu Shkheidem, 42, was killed during an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied Jerusalem, in the West Bank.

The Israeli police said the Palestinian, who was reportedly armed with a “Carlo” submachine gun, opened fire at Israeli police officers before they shot him dead.

An Israeli source said one officers, identified as Eliyahu David Kay, 26, was killed in the attack and added that four Israelis, including two border police officers, were injured in the incident that took place at Bab al-Silsila Gate of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Jerusalem.

Israeli sources said Kay was an immigrant from South Africa, who worked at the “Western Wall Heritage Foundation,” and that he enlisted with the Israeli army in the year 2018.

He sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head and succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at an Israeli hospital.

After the shooting, dozens of soldiers invaded the home of Fadi Abu Shkheidim, and ransacked it, causing excessive property damage, in addition to interrogating the family.

During the invasion, the soldiers forced the family into one room of their home in Shu’fat refugee camp in Jerusalem, before summoning for interrogation Omar’s mother, along with his two brothers and one sister, in addition to his child Abdullah, only 8 years of age.

The invasion led to protests before the soldiers fired many rubber-coated steel bullets, gas bombs, and concussion grenades.

Abu Schiedam was a former political prisoner, and a married father of five, and was also considered a political leader of Hamas although he wasn’t among its ranks, or part of its military wing, known as al-Qassam Brigades.

He also held a master’s degree in Islamic studies and sharia law and worked as a teacher and a Khatib in the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He was also in college preparing to obtain his PHD.

Abu Shkheidem, 42, was from the Shu’fat refugee camp, in occupied East Jerusalem. Source: IMEMC