2 women killed in car blast in Ramle; incident probed as part of gang violence

A mother and her daughter were killed Wednesday evening in a car explosion on the outskirts of the central city of Ramle, with police ruling out a terror attack and media reports indicating the incident was being investigated as a suspected criminal underworld hit.

Reports indicated that the two women, the mother in her 50s and the daughter in her 20s, were likely relatives of people involved in a conflict between two crime families.

Footage from another car showed the moment of the large blast on Route 200, which occurred while many vehicles were driving near the car.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service said the two casualties were trapped in the burning car and that by the time fire and rescue officials reached them, little could be done besides pronouncing their deaths.

The deputy commander of Ramle’s police station, David Abekasis, told reporters shortly after the incident that identifying the victims would take time “due to the condition of the bodies.”

Cops arrived at the scene and collected evidence, including from the barely recognizable car, and suggested a bomb was likely placed in it.

החיסול הכפול ליד רמלה: באמצע כביש סואן – הרכב התפוצץ | תיעוד ממצלמת רכב@hadasgrinberg https://t.co/F8ygHmb6MC pic.twitter.com/SEA14BnIIV

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) November 27, 2024

A resident of a nearby neighborhood told the Ynet news site: “We heard a loud boom, the kids were home and we thought a missile had landed. When we looked from the balcony we saw fire and smoke. It was scary.”

Another local, Roni Kadri‎ — brother of pop singer Nasreen Kadri — told the Walla news site that the place where the bomb went off is a busy area where many children cross the street every day.

“I first thought a rocket had fallen, but that didn’t sound right because we heard about a ceasefire” with Hezbollah in Lebanon, he said. “Suddenly ambulances and police cars arrived, and people started standing and watching. Imagine what would have happened if there were kids on the road. This is a miracle and very lucky.

“Every time I hear of another incident in this area and it’s scary,” Kadri added. “Many relatives were at my home with small children, they got frightened and panicked. My balcony was open and smoke entered my home. I must be thankful that it didn’t end with more damage.”

???? פיצוץ רכב ברמלה צמוד לכפר ג׳ואריש, שני הרוגים בזירה. pic.twitter.com/6AfH0Wszua

— Asslan Khalil (@KhalilAsslan) November 27, 2024

Ramle city council member Yoel Lavi, a former mayor of the city, said that Wednesday’s blast was “the result of the ineffectiveness of law enforcement bodies, police and the courts,” as such crimes aren’t punished heavily enough.

An epidemic of violent crime in the Arab community that reached record levels last year has continued this year, with 109 members of the community killed in violent crimes in the first half of 2024, according to the Abraham Initiatives nonprofit.

An explosion in Ramle in September killed four people, including three children, and wounded nine others in an incident that drew nationwide attention.

Many Arab Israeli community leaders have accused police of failing to crack down on powerful criminal organizations and largely ignoring the violence, which includes family feuds, mafia turf wars and violence against women.