Killing of Ahmad Abu Murkhiyeh

Ahmad Abu Murkhiyeh (1996/1997–2022) was a Palestinian man from Hebron who was murdered on October 6, 2022. Believed to be an anti-LGBT hate crime, his killing drew international attention and condemnation.

Asylum in Israel
Abu Murkhiyeh was born in Hebron, in the West Bank. He was reported to have feared for his life due to his sexual orientation, which is persecuted in the conservative Palestinian territories. He had cut off contact with his family after alleging he was frequently beaten by relatives in Hebron before escaping.

Abu Murkhiyeh sought asylum in Israel two years prior to his death. His family allege he had been living between Hebron and with his father in Jordan, though this is disputed. After numerous death threats he was granted a humanitarian permit to remain in Israel. During his two years In Israel, he was supported by LGBTQ organizations and bounced around shelters for at-risk LGBT individuals, due to constant threats from Palestinians on social media and Anonymous callers. On one occasion, a Palestinian day-laborer from the West Bank recognized him and beat him up in Israel near a restaurant that had hired them both without a work permit.

He successfully applied for asylum In Canada, where he reportedly was to resettle in late 2022. Israel did not recognize his refugee status, and he faced restrictions including working legally. a change in regulations allowing work permits for Palestinians in his situation was implemented in June 2022.

Death
On October 6, 2022, at the age of 25, Abu Murkhiyeh was found decapitated near his family's house in Hebron, West Bank. His murder was captured on video and shared on social media by the suspected killer. The motive for the killing was under investigation, with a Palestinian acquaintance of Abu Murkhiyeh arrested as a suspect.

Aftermath and reactions
The nature of his death and the subsequent sharing of images on social media led to widespread media coverage and public attention, as well as discussions regarding the safety of LGBTQ individuals in the Palestinian society.