A young Palestinian man who fled to Israel two years ago for his homosexual orientation was murdered this week in the occupied West Bank, in a case that has caused a stir after images of his decapitated body spread on social media.
Ahmad Abu Marhia, 25, received death threats in the past and resided in a shelter for members of the LGTBI community in Israel, where he had a humanitarian residence permit while waiting to obtain asylum in a third country, according to local media.
His body was found in the West Bank city of Hebron. Following the discovery, the Palestinian Police and Attorney General's Office announced the opening of an investigation. A suspect was also arrested, although the motive for the murder has not been specified for now.
The young man's closest circle is convinced that his murder was due to his homosexuality, a condition that is still considered taboo for a large part of the Palestinian population.
In fact, there are multiple cases of Palestinians who in recent years have fled the West Bank when their sexual orientation was known and sought refuge in Israel, which is more favorable to the LGTBI community.
However, many remain in legal limbo in the Jewish state, without residence permits and irregularly, making their situation highly vulnerable.
Abu Marhia was waiting to receive international protection from Canada to be transferred to this country, a process that began a long time ago and that he hoped to complete in the coming months.
"Ahmad, who stayed in an Israeli shelter because of his sexuality, was murdered by a twisted killer," said Arab-Israeli MP Ibtisam Maraana of the Labor Party.
