The wife and daughters of Attorney Raja Khatib, Deputy Chairman of the Haifa Bar Association, were killed tonight in a missile strike in Tamra.

(haipo) - The difficult night that befell the State of Israel with the missile attack from Iran took a heavy toll on the city of Tamra, and the Khatib family – one of the well-known families in the Haifa District Bar Association – lost four of its daughters. Manar al-Qassam Abu al-Hija, her two daughters Shada and Hala, and her sister-in-law Manal – were killed yesterday, Saturday, 14/06/2025, from a direct hit by a missile in the family home in Tamra.
Shada, the daughter of the deputy chairman of the Haifa District Bar Association, Attorney Raja Khatib, was an outstanding law student at Haifa University. Along with the girls, the wife of Attorney Ihav Khatib, Attorney Raja's brother and a member of the Ethics Committee of the Haifa Bar Association, was also killed.
The disaster shook not only the city of Tamra, but also the entire legal community. But a heavy burden fell on members of the Bar Association, academics, and Arab and Israeli society in general.

Missile hits one of Haifa's leading legal families

The Khatib family is considered one of the most prominent families in the Haifa District Bar Association, and its representatives hold senior positions in the bar. Attorney Raja Khatib, deputy chairman of the district, and Attorney Ihav Khatib, a member of the ethics committee, are known for their professional quality and contribution to the legal community. The missile fired last night directly hit the family's home in Tamra and caused the deaths of four women from their family - Manar, Raja's wife; Shada and Hala, their daughters; and Manal, Ihav's wife.

Shada Khatib – a law student whose aspirations were cut short by Ivan

Shada Khatib, Raja's daughter, was a second-year student in the Faculty of Law at the University of Haifa.
She was a research assistant to Dr. Rabia Assi, and was described as a promising student. The obituary published by the University of Haifa administration stated: "Shada was a promising and well-liked student and we mourn her tragic and untimely death. The University of Haifa mourns the death of her mother, Manar, her sister Hala, and her relative Manal, who were killed with her in the attack. We share the family's deep sorrow."
The announcement expressed the shock that prevailed at the university, which had to deal with the loss of a valued student who was just starting out.

Testimony from the classroom: Prof. Itamar Mann, talks about Shada

Prof. Itamar Mann, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, shared a moving personal memory about Shada Khatib, who studied with him in his first year of law. "When Shada participated in a class discussion," he wrote, "she surprised me with her clear and quick answers. To the point that I asked with a smile if she would like to teach in my place. Her quick answer, 'Yes, maybe in a few years,' showed her great ambitions." According to him, she received the highest grade in the class and left a deep personal mark. His words emphasized not only her academic abilities, but also her quiet, curious and wise character. Her death, he said, is "a heavy blow to all of us."

Response from the Chairman of the Haifa Bar Association

Attorney Shadi Saroji, Chairman of the Haifa District Bar Association, today mourned the women who were killed. "Tonight we lost Manar, Shada and Hala, the wife and daughters of Raja Khatib, deputy chairman of the Haifa Bar Association, following the missile strike on Taibeh. Raja's brother, Attorney Ihab Khatib, lost his wife, Manar Diab Khatib, in the attack."
He added that "the two brothers are a very significant part of the Bar Association, we share in their deep grief." Sruji noted that this is an especially difficult day for the city and the entire legal district, and also expressed shock at Simha's public reactions to the women's deaths.

A message of hope amidst loss

Despite the heavy loss, there are also voices of hope, especially from among academics.
"If Shada symbolized anything," said one of the lecturers, "it was the possibility of a common, legal, curious life. She wanted to be a lawyer, she wanted to change – not just her life, but reality." Her death – and the deaths of her sister, mother and aunt – will not be forgotten, and perhaps from this painful place, a call for a more sensitive society, one that loves life, and is committed to true justice, will emerge.

Haifa mourns the death of Manar Abu al-Hija Khatib, a teacher at Al-Karma School

The Haifa Municipality and Mayor Yona Yahav express deep sorrow and great pain over the death of teacher Manar Abu al-Hija Khatib, her daughters Shada and Hala Khatib, and their relative Manar Fakhri Diab Khatib, as a result of a missile strike in the city of Tamra. The Secretary General of the Teachers' Union, Yaffe Ben David, and her deputy, Edna David, also joined the eulogies and expressed deep sorrow over the death of Manar, who was a respected and beloved educator at the Haifa Al-Kerma Elementary School.

Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav spoke with the school staff this morning, saying: “This tragedy is heartbreaking. We have lost not only a wonderful educator who was a unique role model, but also precious daughters and a family member, whose lives were cruelly cut short. The Haifa Municipality stands by the educational staff, the families and the entire community at this difficult time. We will remember Manar forever. May their memory be blessed.”

Shock from online reactions: Cries of joy spark investigation

Beyond the sadness, the disaster sparked terrible reactions online – when the missile appeared to hit Tamra, photos of cheers were uploaded, against the backdrop of the victims' gender and national identity.
Attorney Sruji responded to this firmly: "I have no doubt that anyone who rejoices and is enthusiastic about the murder of innocent people should be questioned by the police, and I don't understand how it's possible that they haven't been reached yet."

Bar Association Chairman Adv. Amit Bachar: "We will stand firm in brotherhood and solidarity"

The response of the Chairman of the Israel Bar Association, Attorney Amit Bakr, to the deaths of the four women from the Khatib family – Manar, Hala, Shada and Manal – expresses the deep pain of the legal community in Israel in the face of this unprecedented tragedy. The four women, all of whom are close relatives of attorneys Raja and Ihab Khatib, who were killed by the deadly missile strike.

Attorney Bachar emphasized the severe loss when he said that "words fall silent in the face of this heartbreaking tragedy." According to him, the Israel Bar Association mourns their deaths and will provide the families with any assistance needed, both from the national bar headquarters and through the Haifa district. He emphasized the need for social unity in times of national crisis, noting that "the enemy's missiles do not distinguish between blood and blood, and do not distinguish between Bat Yam, Rishon LeZion, Tamra or any other place in the State of Israel." From a position of public and state responsibility, Bachar called on the public to refrain from rants and demonstrate human sensitivity toward the victims, regardless of religion, gender or sector.

Some of his remarks focused on the outrageous response that arose on social media near the time of the attack: "At a chilling and disgusting time, expressions of joy were published yesterday about missiles falling on the Tamra settlement, apparently seconds before the deadly missile hit that destroyed the family of our friends, Attorney Raja and Ihab Khatib." According to him, these are expressions that are contrary to the values ​​of the State of Israel and the Bar Association, and they are in complete contradiction to any basic moral idea.

Bachar emphasized the importance of striving for broad civic partnership, concluding with a firm call to continue "on a shared path of solidarity and brotherhood between all levels of Israeli society" while maintaining hope for better days.

The police told Lai Pa:

Upon learning of the video that was distributed on social media, a variety of operations were launched to locate those involved.