JENIN, Thursday, January 24, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli authorities will release the body of a slain Palestinian from the northern West Bank town of Arraba, southwest of Jenin city, tomorrow after withholding it for 40 days, according to the Civil Affairs Commission.
The family of Hamdan Al-Arda told WAFA that they were informed that Hamadan’s body would be released tomorrow, without being given the exact timing of the release.
Hamdan al-Arda, a 60-year-old businessman, was killed by Israeli forces while driving his vehicle during a military raid in the industrial zone in the northern section of the West Bank city of Al-Bireh on December 13, 2018.
Israeli military later claimed that al-Arda had attempted to ram his car into soldiers who had just raided the zone. However, the man’s relatives, eyewitnesses and even Israeli sources cast doubt on these claims.
As reported by Haaretz, “members of his family said he suffered from hearing loss that they thought he must have failed to hear soldiers’ warnings”, and “added that he likely veered off course when he was surprised by the soldiers’ presence.”
Eyewitnesses said, “the incident was merely a car accident, as the driver was surprised with Israeli soldiers in his way and attempted to turn away from them before the heavily opened fire at him.”
K.T./ K.F.
