Chronology: Shooting and Detention of Saeed and Ilyas Rabaa / Al-Amour (April 2025)

April 17, 2025 (around 6:30 p.m.):

• 16-year-old Ilyas Saeed Rabaa sees three armed Israeli settlers setting up iron pillars on his family’s farmland in Al-Rakeez, cultivated since 2012.

• Ilyas and his father, Sheikh Saeed Rabaa (60) (also called Saeed Al-Amour by the press and the activists), confront them.

• One settler (identified as a local outpost security guard) attacks Ilyas, seizes his phone, and chokes him.

• Saeed is shot in the leg by the settler after trying to help his son.

• Saeed collapses and bleeds heavily. Israeli soldiers prevent an ambulance and neighbors from assisting.

Later that evening:

• Soldiers detain Ilyas, blindfold and shackle him, and accuse him of trying to seize the settler's weapon.

• He is held for a full day outside, given only stale bread, and later transferred to Ofer Prison.

• Saeed is hospitalized at Soroka Medical Center (Be’er Sheva).

• His right leg is amputated above the thigh.

• Despite being shot and hospitalized, he remains handcuffed to his bed.

April 20, 2025:

• Both Saeed (via medical escort) and Ilyas (via video link) appear before an Israeli military judge.

• The court orders their release on bail (NIS 5,000 each).

• Israeli authorities delay Saeed's release, citing lack of an entry permit — even though Israeli forces brought him into Israel.

April 21, 2025:

• Saeed is handed over to the Palestinian Red Crescent at the Meitar checkpoint and transferred to Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron for further treatment.

The details given by the differents local, Israeli or international activists

On April 17, 2025, dozen of settlers attaked the hamel of Al-Rakeez. Saeed Al-Amour, a 60-year-old Palestinian near the village of At-Tuwani in Masafer Yatta (southern Hebron), was shot in the leg by the Israeli settler Binyamin Bodenheimer (the security coordinator of the Avigail settlement) while Sheik Saeed Al-Amour working on his land.

Saeed was left bleeding on the ground for an extended period, denied immediate medical care. The delay led to a failed surgery and ultimately the amputation of his leg.

Saeed’s 15-year-old son, who was attacked alongside him, was abducted from the scene after his father was shot and has since been held at the Israeli Ofer detention camp.

Binyamin Bodenheimer—the settler who shot Saeed—is the security coordinator of the settlement of Avigail. As the person responsible for the settlement’s security, he is deeply committed to acting in the settlement’s interests, which means to the harm of his Palestinian neighbors. His activities include, among other things, expelling shepherds from their lands, harassing residents who are under threat of expulsion, and invading villages with youths from the settlement.

Aftermath

The 15 year-old son of Saeed, Elyas, remains in Israeli detention. The settler who shot Saeed has not been arrested or even questioned. In fact the settler returned tor Khirbet AL-Rakeez with Israeli forces. He has the soldiers there at his directive to make sure he is able to dig on the same land where he opened fire. Attempting to claim the land for his own.

He showed he wants to continue tormenting Saeed’s family, who are still processing the trauma and the new reality. Maybe he wanted to remind them that he’s there, that he’s free, and that he can keep harming them — under the support and protection of the apartheid regime.

Saeed is now under medical supervision, paying the price of a system that protects settlers and punishes the victims.

AccordinG to masafering on April 20 :

"We have full names of the attackers. Today, while Sheikh Saeed lies in the hospital with his leg amputated after being shot on Thursday by a settler, a hearing was held on the matter at the military court of the apartheid regime. However, the suspects are not the settlers who attacked Saeed and his son, but the victims themselves. Saeed was detained as a prisoner at Soroka Hospital and was not allowed to receive visitors or see his relatives or family members.

On April 20, the court decided to release Saeed and his son from detention, demanding 10,000 shekels for their release. Due to technical reasons, the release will be delayed and will only take place tomorrow. Many complaints have been filed against the perpetrator, Benyamin Bodenheimer with the police, along with documentation proving the allegations, but the police, of course, are unfazed. Those belonging to the “superior race” are exempt from the law. Even when Bodenheimer shot Saeed, he was not required to appear for questioning (as far as is known). As for his arrest—there is no question of that, while Saeed, who was shot by him, is held as a detainee in the hospital.

Today, Bodenheimer returned again to the area where the incident occurred, near Saeed’s home. Apparently, it was not enough for him, and he wants to continue making Saeed’s family’s life miserable as they are still processing the fresh trauma and new reality forced upon them. Apparently, the attacker also wanted to remind them that he is there at any given moment, that he is free and can continue to harm them as much as he wants, with the assistance and protection of the apartheid regime.

Shooter's name: Binyamin Bodenheimer His accomplice: Amihai Shilo"

Complaints were filed against Bodenheimer with the police, along with documented evidence supporting the claims — but, of course, the police are unfazed. Those belonging to the "superior race" are exempt from the law. Even after the shooting of Saeed, he was not required to appear for questioning (as far as we know). Not to mention arrest — while Saeed, who was shot by him, is detained in the hospital.

On April 21, Israeli forces released Saeed Al-Amour and he comes back to his house by ambulance. His son, Eliya, was released sooner in the same day.

On April 22, Israeli forces launched another demolition operation in Masafer Yatta, destroying two residential homes in the village of Tuwani, belonging to the Al-Amour family—relatives of Sheikh Saeed from the nearby village of Al-Rakeez. Four adults and five children have been left homeless. This operation can be understand as a retaliation or a taregted harassement against this family in order to stela their land.

Context & Background:

The attack occurred near the Avigayil outpost, officially legalized by Israel in September 2023. Avigayil has been expanding and threatens nearby Palestinian communities like Al-Rakeez, al-Mufaqara, and Shaab al-Butum. Settler violence and military restrictions have intensified in Masafer Yatta, especially after October 7, 2023. Local Palestinians report daily harassment, crop destruction, and land takeovers by settlers.