Umm al-Kheir women launched a hunger strike, seeking the return of Awdah Hathaleen’s body, with women aged 13 to 70 participating. Amid escalating violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians, Yinon Levi shot Awdah Hathaleen on July 28, 2025, captured on video and leading to his death at Soroka hospital.
Israeli authorities conditioned the release of bodies on nighttime burial restrictions and a 15-person attendance cap, with at least 188 bodies still withheld. Seeking accountability, the women demand the release of seven Umm al-Kheir residents held in administrative detention, after two women received medical treatment due to the strike.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and European Union still maintain sanctions on Yinon Levi, despite U.S. President Donald Trump reversing those sanctions shortly after taking office.
