Jerusalem, 16 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) — A wave of homicides in the Israeli-Arab community continued with the shooting death of a man in the central town of Tira on Monday. The murder is the 65th of 2026 and the eighth since the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran.
“We arrived at a violent incident and observed a man about 30 years old who was unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, suffering from penetrating and significant injuries. Unfortunately, he had no signs of life, and we were forced to declare him dead at the scene,” said senior Magen David Adom medic Adi Fayumi. MDA had responded to a call reporting a body found in a car.
According to initial assessments, the killing appears to be linked to a blood feud. Police have not made any arrests.
The shooting comes amid a wave of recent violence in the Arab community. Over the weekend, a man in his 30s was murdered in his car in Nazareth, and on Friday, 26-year-old Ibrahim Mahamid was shot in front of his wife and two-year-old daughter as he stepped out of his car. Authorities note that Mahamid’s wife is due to give birth in the coming days.
The surge is attributed to organized crime groups fighting turf battles and attempting to eliminate rivals. Arab criminal organizations have been involved in extortion, money laundering, and trafficking in weapons, drugs, and women.
A record 252 Israeli-Arab homicides were recorded in 2025 — more than double the 120 homicides in 2022.
Critics argue the crime wave has worsened since Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician, became National Security Minister in 2022.