Leaders at Masjid Omar in Harvey, La., spent hours consoling Abdel Jabbar’s shocked former classmates earlier than going to his uncle’s home to course of what had occurred, Abukhader mentioned.
“Are you positive he died?” Abukhader recounted one scholar asking. “Are you positive that’s our Tawfic?”
The State Division confirmed that an American civilian had died Friday, although it mentioned that it’s nonetheless analyzing the circumstances of the demise within the West Financial institution.
Israeli police mentioned that the incident concerned an off-duty legislation enforcement officer, a soldier and a civilian and that they had been launching a “complete investigation.” The Israel Police media workplace mentioned in an unsigned assertion that gunfire was reported after obvious “rock-throwing actions.”
The Washington Put up couldn’t instantly affirm the circumstances of what occurred.
Abdel Jabbar had attended highschool within the New Orleans space and was a member of Masjid Omar, in keeping with Abukhader. {The teenager} had switched between public faculty and the mosque’s Muslim Academy Gretna Islamic College, the place he spent his sophomore and junior years.
“The entire neighborhood and our mosque are devastated by the information,” Abukhader instructed The Put up.
He criticized the Biden administration for its help of Israel’s conflict in opposition to Hamas, which the Gaza Well being Ministry mentioned has killed about 25,000 individuals there after Hamas militants killed about 1,200 individuals in an Oct. 7 assault on Israel. Within the West Financial institution, Israeli forces have intensified raids on Palestinians, destroyed homes and displaced greater than 1,200 individuals, The Put up reported final month. About 365 individuals have been killed within the West Financial institution because the conflict started, in keeping with the Palestinian Well being Ministry primarily based in Ramallah.
Abukhader known as for an finish to the preventing “so all these youngsters — whether or not they’re Arab, Muslim, Israeli, Jewish, Christian — have the possibility to have a life, to assist society and be good residents.”
Abdel Jabbar was a second-generation American born in Louisiana, in keeping with Abukhader. He moved to the West Financial institution in Might along with his father, mom and siblings for his senior yr of highschool. His household, Abukhader mentioned, needed the teenager to raised hook up with his heritage and enhance his Arabic language abilities.
Abdel Jabbar hoped to return to america and attend the College of New Orleans or a neighborhood faculty, perhaps to check enterprise administration.
“He used to return in Friday nights and play basketball along with his classmates and pals,” Abukhader mentioned.
The mosque deliberate to carry a vigil Saturday night with classmates and family, who discovered about his demise by information articles and different members of the family.
Andrew Jeong and Itay Stern contributed to this report.