Jaffa man confesses to killing his two sisters

A man was arrested Thursday on suspicion that he stabbed two of his sisters to death in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, earlier in the day.

Both victims, Nurit Malouk, aged 19 and Hayat Malouk, aged 21, were mothers to one-year-olds, and they were allegedly killed while other members of the family were in the house.

At his remand hearing in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court, the suspect said that the family had encouraged him to kill his sisters. He was remanded for 11 days.

In court a police investigator said he had known the suspect for a long time. The investigator said that several times the suspect had revealed that he had issues with his two sisters, who he said worked in prostitution and were drug users. The sisters had turned to social services several times seeking help.

During his interrogation, the man confessed to police. Officers suspect that the killings were part of a family dispute involving almost all 13 members of the household — parents, children and grandchildren.

The suspect’s lawyer said that his client was known to authorities as a drug user, and should be referred for psychiatric evaluation. The attorney said the suspect was insane at the time of the killings, and after he realized what he had done he called police and confessed.

When police arrived at the apartment they found the two victims in their beds with their throats cut.

Neighbors told Hadashot TV news that there was often screaming and shouting in the apartment, including on the night before the murders.

Other neighbors told Walla news that the family had put up decorations for Ramadan on Wednesday afternoon and things were relatively quiet until they heard the sirens of ambulances in the morning.