For years, I have tried to maintain one simple moral principle, regardless of how difficult this conflict has become: Every innocent civilian life has equal value. I have mourned Israeli civilians murdered on October 7. I have spoken against attacks on Israeli families. I have condemned the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. I have done so because our humanity cannot depend on the nationality, religion, or identity of the victim. Today, I write with the same moral responsibility.
I write about Ahmad Slim, a 26-year-old Palestinian truck driver from Gaza, a husband and father of two young children – his daughter is 14 months old and his infant son only 20 days old at the time of his death. According to eyewitnesses, his family, and fellow drivers who were present, Ahmad was part of a convoy of 21 humanitarian aid trucks operated for the World Central Kitchen (WCK), delivering food and essential supplies into southern Gaza on July 8.
Witnesses say the convoy was forced to stop after one of the trucks ahead suffered a mechanical failure. When the stranded driver called for assistance, Ahmad got out of his truck to help. According to those present, he then encountered Israeli soldiers.
They state that after being instructed to approach, Ahmad walked toward an Israeli military jeep unarmed, wearing the orange high-visibility safety vest that drivers were required to wear under procedures coordinated with the Israeli authorities. Witnesses further say that he raised his hands above his head in surrender and complied with the soldiers' instructions. They allege that, despite posing no apparent threat, he was shot once in the head at close range and died at the scene.
Investigating what occurred
The Israel Defense Forces have presented a different account of the incident and have announced that it is under review. Establishing exactly what happened is therefore essential. If the eyewitness accounts are accurate, this would represent a grave violation of both military ethics and international humanitarian law. If they are not, an independent investigation is equally necessary to establish the truth. In either case, transparency and accountability are indispensable.
Ahmad was not an unknown figure to the authorities. He came from a respected family long involved in the transportation sector, had worked for years in humanitarian logistics, and, according to his colleagues, had repeatedly received Israeli security clearance required to transport aid through the crossings.
Like all drivers authorized to participate in these humanitarian convoys, his identity had reportedly been vetted and approved in advance through established coordination mechanisms. These facts make it all the more important to understand precisely what occurred that day.
I personally know many of Ahmad's friends and relatives. Several are respected businessmen in Gaza and colleagues of mine in the New Path Party. In the days following his death, I joined remotely in offering condolences to his family and listened as some of my friends and fellow founding member of New Path delivered the eulogy on behalf of Gaza's private sector. Their grief was unbearable.
As I listened, I could not stop thinking about Ahmad's two children. One day, the children of every innocent victim of this conflict – Israeli and Palestinian alike – will ask us the same question: Where were you when our lives were shattered?
What answer will we give them? Will we tell them that security required everything? Or will we admit that sometimes we failed to distinguish between genuine security needs and the unnecessary loss of innocent human life? This is why I appeal directly to Israeli society.
The Israelis I have come to know over many years possess a remarkable ability to distinguish between what is truly necessary for security and what crosses an ethical line. Israel's strength has never rested solely on military power. It has also rested on its commitment to the rule of law, accountability, and the belief that even during war, moral limits must exist.
If Ahmad was unlawfully killed, then justice is not an act of weakness. It is an act of strength. It is also an investment in Israel's own future.
An opportunity for new leadership
The Palestinian elections scheduled for November 28 offer perhaps the first real opportunity in nearly 20 years for a new generation of Palestinian leadership to emerge through democratic means. They offer hope to Palestinians who have grown tired of violence, corruption, and endless conflict.
I believe that had Ahmad lived, he would have cast his vote for a future built on coexistence, dignity, and peace rather than perpetual confrontation. Like countless ordinary Palestinians, he wanted nothing more extraordinary than to provide for his family and live in safety.
Every unnecessary death weakens those of us trying to convince Palestinians that another path remains possible. Every innocent civilian killed makes the voices of moderation quieter and the voices of extremism louder. Hope is already fragile on the Palestinian side of the fence. Please do not kill what remains of it.
I therefore call upon Israeli society to demand a transparent, independent investigation into Ahmad Slim's death. If wrongdoing occurred, those responsible must be held accountable. Justice should never depend on the identity of the victim, and humanitarian workers and aid drivers must be able to carry out their work without fear.
Every innocent victim deserves justice. And if we fail to protect human dignity today, we will find it impossible to build peace tomorrow.
The writer is a Palestinian political activist and reform advocate. He has become a prominent voice for democratic renewal, national elections, and institutional reform. He is a founder and head of New Path (Masar Jadid), a new Palestinian political party seeking to build a modern, accountable, and democratic political alternative.