Three killed in Shefa-Amr as violence in Palestinian towns inside Israel exposes police inaction

Three men were shot dead on Wednesday at a construction workshop in the Usman neighbourhood of Shefa-Amr, in the latest deadly incident to hit Palestinian communities in Israel amid mounting anger over police inaction.

The victims were critically wounded in the attack and later pronounced dead at hospital.

They were identified as Kamel Hijarat, 55, from Bir al-Maksur; Yasser Hijarat, 53, originally from Bir al-Maksur but living in Shefa-Amr for several years; and Khaled Ghadeer, 62, also from Bir al-Maksur.

According to initial findings, one of the men was shot while sitting in a car outside the workshop, while the other two were killed at the site.

Police said they had opened an investigation and were searching for suspects, examining whether the killings were linked to ongoing feuds in Shefa-Amr, which have claimed at least 31 lives over the past three-and-a-half years.

Relatives of the victims clashed with police at the scene, accusing authorities of failing to provide security and allowing crime to spiral unchecked in Palestinian towns in Israel.

Paramedics from Magen David Adom said the three men were found without signs of life.

"We received a report of three men injured in a violent incident," paramedics said. "On arrival, we found three unconscious men lying on the ground, without pulse or breathing, with gunshot wounds. Medical examinations confirmed their deaths at the scene."

In response to the killings, the Bir al-Maksur local council announced a three-day general strike and mourning across all village institutions.

Growing violence claims more lives

Shock and grief spread through both Shefa-Amr and Bir al-Maksur, accompanied by renewed calls for decisive action to confront organised crime, identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

Hours later, another fatal shooting was reported in Ar'ara al-Naqab, where Mahmoud Jasser Abu Arar, a first-year medical student, was killed during a brief visit home from Georgia, where he was studying. He was taken to Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba but died from his injuries.

Police said they had suspected the killing was linked to a family dispute and announced the arrest of 10 people in connection with the shooting. Large numbers of Southern District Police officers were deployed to the area to carry out searches.

Abu Arar's killing sparked outrage in Ar'ara al-Naqab, where residents said the loss of a young student highlighted the growing toll of violence on the community’s future.

The latest deaths add to a growing list of victims in recent weeks, including Adi Saqr Abu Amar from Al-Luqia; Bakr Mahmoud Yassin, in his 30s, from Araba in the Batuf region; and a father and son, Adham Nazim Nassar, 39, and his 16-year-old son Nazim, who were killed in Nazareth. Mahmoud Gawi, 30, was shot dead in Kafr Qara.

Earlier this year, Abdul Rahman Imad Al-Abra from Ramla died from stab wounds sustained in mid-December, while Muhammad Musa Khawald, 70, died after being shot in Arab al-Khawald near Haifa.

The year 2025 recorded at least 252 Palestinian citizens of Israel killed in violent crime, according to compiled data, amid widespread accusations that Israeli police have failed to curb organised crime or protect Arab communities.

Many of the killings remain unsolved, allowing armed gangs to expand their influence in towns and villages.

Last year also saw 23 women killed, 12 victims under the age of 18, and additional deaths caused by stray bullets, traffic incidents and police interventions, underscoring what residents describe as a daily reality of unchecked violence and impunity in Arab communities.