Kafr Qassim man once imprisoned on terror charges shot dead in city

A 41-year-old Israeli man who previously served time for terror-related charges was shot dead in the Arab city of Kafr Qasim on Monday evening.

The victim, later identified as Kafr Qasim resident Ibrahim Alturi, was seriously wounded in the shooting, according to police. He was taken to the Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva where he later died of his wounds.

Police said they launched a search for suspects and are gathering evidence at the scene as part of the investigation.

Alturi was released from prison two years ago after serving 16 years on terror-related charges, according to Ynet. Police believe that the shooting was criminal in nature and not related to terror activities, the report said.

The Abraham Initiatives, which tracks violent crime in Arab communities, said Alturi is the 107th Arab killed in a criminal incident in Israel in 2022. Of those, 90 were killed by gun violence, the group said.

Arab communities have seen a surge in violence in recent years. Many blame the police, who they say have failed to crack down on powerful criminal organizations and largely ignore the violence, which includes family feuds, mafia turf wars, and violence against women.

Earlier this month, a man was shot and seriously injured while driving in a motorcade near the southern town of Omer, hours before his wedding was set to take place. The victim was not identified but was reportedly a member of the Alsaana family and was involved in a feud between relatives.

Last month, a 26-year-old Rahat man was shot to death in the Bedouin city in an incident police said was motivated by a family property dispute.