A petition was filed by the family requesting that footage of Iyad‘s death be released, but an Israeli court struck it down last week following a police request.
At a funeral held for al-Hallak, his relatives alleged that his death would have been treated differently if he had not been a Palestinian and accused the Israel Police of using lethal violence over nothing but a mere suspicion.
Eyad Hallaq was shot to death in a roofless garbage room. According to the testimony of his caregiver, who was by his side and tried to protect him, he was executed. For long minutes she stood next to him and pleaded for his life, trying to explain to the police officers, in Hebrew and in Arabic, that he suffered from a disability. They shot him three times from close range with a rifle, directly into the center of his body, as he lay on his back, wounded and terrified, on the floor of the room.
Palestinian officials said the 32-year-old man, Iyad Khayri, suffered mental health issues and decried his killing.
In comments at Israel’s Sunday cabinet meeting, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said: “We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Khayri was shot to death and we share in the family’s sorrow – but I am certain this matter will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be drawn.”
Border Police officers claimed they believed he was holding a gun – there was none – and when they called out for him to stop, he started running. The penalty was death. The Border Police, the most brutal of all units, knows no other way to overpower a fleeing autistic Palestinian except to execute him. The cowardly Border Police officers fired some 10 bullets into Hallaq as he fled, until he died. That’s how they always act. That’s what they’ve been trained to do.
Eyad Hallaq, 32, attended and worked in a special needs school close to where he was shot ■ Shooting officer says he suspected Hallaq was a terrorist because he was wearing gloves