2025-07-28 · Umm al-Kheir, Hebron
Activist Awdah Hathaleen shot dead in Umm al-Kheir; B'Tselem video shows settler Yinon Levi firing
ShootingBlocking accessArrests or chargesAwaiting review
On the evening of 28 July 2025, residents of Umm al-Kheir tried to block an excavator brought by settler Yinon Levi's crew, fearing it would cut the village water line; Levi fired a handgun and activist and English teacher Awdah Hathaleen, 31, was hit in the chest about 40 metres away and killed. B'Tselem released video it says Hathaleen filmed showing Levi firing toward the camera. Levi was detained, released to house arrest the next day, and later freed from house arrest by a court that cited lack of evidence.
Footage
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Location
Approximate: village
How it was located: Approximate centroid of Umm al-Kheir (Masafer Yatta), next to Carmel settlement; B'Tselem places the victim at the village community centre. Verify against OpenStreetMap.
Victims and damage
- Injured
- 0
- Killed
- 1
Perpetrators
- Settlement or outpost of origin
- Meitarim Farm outpost (established by Levi in 2021); near Carmel
- Group
- Yinon Levi and his excavator crew
- Army
- Not known
- Yinon Eliya Levi: Indicted [4] · Sanctions: Sanctioned by US and EU in April 2024 per source
- Yinon Levi: Arrested [2] · Sanctions: US sanctions imposed in 2024 by the Biden administration and lifted by the Trump administration (no exact removal date given); per AP, still sanctioned by the EU, UK and Canada (dates not given in source).
Legal outcome
- Arrest · 2025-07-28 · Levi detained for questioning after the shooting. [2]
- Investigation opened · 2025-07-29 · Court denied police request to extend detention and released Levi to house arrest; later a court released him from house arrest citing lack of evidence and barred contact with villagers for one month. Family lawyer Eitan Peleg is pressing for investigation of more serious charges. [1]
- Indictment · 2026-08-06 · Southern District Prosecutor's Office indicted Levi in district court for reckless manslaughter of Awdah Hathaleen, armed trespassing and malicious property damage. Defence says it will contest. [5]
Sources
- NBC News (AP) – Video appears to show the moment a Palestinian activist is killed as an Israeli settler opens fire
- AP via WSLS – A settler allegedly killed a Palestinian and there's video. Israel released him to house arrest
- Global Ministries (reprint of B'Tselem) – Palestinian activist Awdah al-Hathaleen filmed settler Yinon Levi shooting him
- Israel charges settler in killing of Palestinian activist in West Bank (Dawn)
- Israel indicts settler in rare charge over Palestinian activist's killing (Al Jazeera)
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