Who is Qadri Samara? The Former Prisoner Behind the Ramallah Attack

Military Raid and Hospital Arrest of Qadri Samara

The Israeli military stated that an armed assailant fired from a vehicle at Israelis in the area, exited the vehicle, and fled on foot. A soldier returned fire and injured the suspect, according to the military’s account. Hours later, occupation forces detained the wounded man inside the “H Clinic” specialized hospital in Ramallah. Palestinian sources and the Jerusalem Governorate identified the hospitalized detainee as Qadri Samara, an ex-prisoner.

According to local documentation, Israeli forces stormed the Ramallah medical facility while deploying tear gas canisters outside, causing several citizens to suffer from tear gas inhalation. Simultaneously, the military raided Samara’s hometown of Biddou. Troops trapped worshippers inside the Abdullah bin Jaber mosque during prayers, searched family homes, and detained Samara’s uncle and older brother for questioning before later releasing them, family sources stated. The Jerusalem Governorate reported that forces temporarily held roughly 53 young men in a detention center set up inside a commandeered home during widespread vandalism and searches.

Background and Family Trade in Furniture Upholstery

Before his arrest, Samara maintained a low public profile, managing a furniture business in Bir Nabalah that he inherited and later expanded into upholstery.

Now a father of three—Mohammed, 10; Sham, 7; and Amjad, 3—Samara lived near his family home in a house he built four years ago. His entry into commerce followed his father Mohammed’s path, who operated a grocery store in the 1990s before shifting to restaurant equipment and furniture trading in Al-Ram. When the separation wall cut off Jerusalem villages, the family business moved to Bir Nabalah between 2010 and 2014. Samara took over the shop in 2015, eventually learning upholstery hands-on to adapt to a slumping local economy. Following his father’s death from cancer roughly seven years ago, Samara took on full responsibility for the business and his family.

Precedents and Demands for the Death Penalty

Local sources note that Samara’s personal history included profound local grief, notably the September 26, 2021 killing of his classmate and friend Ahmad Zahran during an Israeli military raid near Bayt Anan alongside Mahmoud Hamidan and Zakaria Badwan. While relatives observed his close ties to his mother and sisters, as well as his fondness for horses, local sources confirmed he held no formal affiliation with political factions.

In the wake of the latest shooting, Israeli punitive measures immediately targeted Samara’s four-year-old home, where soldiers took measurements ahead of a potential demolition. Concurrently, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly demanded that Samara become the first individual subjected to Israel’s new death penalty law for attackers, which the Knesset approved in late March 2026. Legal advocates and officials note that the case marks an initial test for the practical application of the newly enacted legislation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Qadri Samara?

Qadri Samara is a 37-year-old furniture upholsterer from Biddou, northwest of Jerusalem, who was arrested by Israeli forces following a shooting attack near the Halamish settlement.

Where was Samara arrested?

According to Palestinian sources and the Jerusalem Governorate, Israeli forces detained an injured Samara from inside the H Clinic specialized hospital in Ramallah.

What new legal measure has been invoked in this case?

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for Samara to face the death penalty under a newly enacted law approved by the Knesset in March 2026.