On the afternoon of 12 March 2026, a 28-year-old civilian named Moatasem Maher Fares was killed after allegedly being shot by a sniper from an Israeli tank while traveling on Salah al-Din Street near the entrance to Kissufim, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

Multiple local sources and social media reports, including posts from the victim’s family and colleagues, identified the deceased as Moatasem Maher Fares, a resident of Khan Younis. Fares was a lawyer and human rights researcher at the International Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) and an ambassador for the Aisha Association for Women and Children’s Rights.

Friend Adv Moses Abu Nada referenced Moatasem as a “kind-hearted friend” and a “man of good character, a man of truth and integrity.” Though he was “gone in body,” his memory would “forever remain in the hearts of all who knew you.” Others spoke of his death with “deepest sorrow and grief,” painting a picture of a man who was well liked and valued by his community.

According to reports from Anas Baraka and Street Pulse, Fares was inside a vehicle on his way to the central Gaza Strip when he was targeted by a sniper from an Israeli tank. His brother, Muhannad Maher Fares, confirmed he was killed through a post on Facebook, noting the incident occurred during the last ten days of Ramadan.

Where sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the attack to the Israeli military.