The family of a young Israeli Arab who was killed by police in Temple Square, east Jerusalem, rejected on Sunday the version of events given by the police, in which he “grabbed” a member’s gun and fired.

Mohammed al-Asibi, a medical student, 26, was killed on Friday, hours after a huge crowd of Palestinian worshipers gathered in Mosque Square for the midday prayer on the second Friday of Ramadan.

The episode unfolded near a gate to Mosque Square, in the Palestinian sector of the old city annexed by Israel.

According to the Israeli police, the young man, from Hura, a Bedouin community in southern Israel, was able to “grab a gun” of a police officer “and shoot twice”, without injuring anyone, before falling dead from the bullets of her men.

She confirmed yesterday Sunday that DNA of the young man was found “on the magazine and the handle” of the pistol and that this proves “without any doubt” that her men acted with “courage”.

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he “fully supports” the police, who according to him confronted “the terrorist on the Temple Mount”. The Square of the Mosques, the third holiest place in Islam, is called by faithful Jews the Temple Mount and is characterized as the holiest place in Judaism.

In Hura, where the young Israeli Arab’s funeral drew a large crowd yesterday, the family confirmed that he had gone to Jerusalem to pray, but denied what the authorities say about the manner in which he was killed. “We reject the police version, which is false and defamatory,” one of his sisters, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

After the young man’s death, police searched the family home, questioned his parents and seized his personal belongings, according to relatives.

The mayor of Hoora, Habis al-Atauna, said the community “is certain that the young man was executed.”

Traders in the community closed their shops yesterday and residents went on strike, while similar demonstrations took place in other Israeli Arab communities, media reported.

Police say there is no footage of the incident, although numerous cameras are set up to monitor the area. A police representative assured that no camera was pointed at the place where the incident took place.

Ashibi, who arrived alone at the mosque, “raised suspicions”. After being interrogated by police officers, he was “asked to leave the Temple Mount (…) he then committed the aforementioned attack,” according to a police statement.

The absence of visual material is part of “the effort to hide the truth,” Mansour Abbas, leader of Israel’s Arab Ra’am (moderate political Islam) party, complained on Twitter.

An organization representing Israel’s Arab minority called on Saturday for a “general strike” to be held yesterday, Sunday, a “day of mourning” following the “execution” of the young student.

Mohammed al-Asibi’s death ended the relative calm that had prevailed since Ramadan began on March 23.

Since the beginning of the year, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has claimed the lives of at least 88 Palestinians (combatants and civilians, including minors), one Israeli Arab, another 14 Israelis (members of the security forces and civilians) and one Ukrainian woman, according to a tally by the French Agency based on the official announcements of the Israeli and Palestinian authorities.