36-year-old man shot dead in Kafr Qara, bringing year’s Arab homicide toll to 152

A 36-year-old man was shot dead in the central Arab city of Kafr Qara tonight.

Paramedics found the victim lying unconscious on the ground with several bullet wounds and pronounced him dead at the scene. His name is Ahmad Said Atamneh, according to the Arabic-language outlet Arab48.

Police are investigating the incident and have erected ad hoc checkpoints in the town in their search for suspects, law enforcement says, adding that three suspects have been arrested.

Earlier this evening, an elderly woman was shot dead in the northern city of Arraba. The assailant apparently fired at the victim, 88-year-old Latifa Naif Naamneh Shahin, by accident, and had been aiming at parked cars in the vicinity of her home, Ynet reported earlier.

Since the start of 2025, 152 Arab Israelis have been killed in violent incidents, according to a statement from the Abraham Initiatives, which tracks Arab murder victims, following tonight’s shooting.

At this time of year in 2024, the number of Arab murder victims stood at 133, marking a 13% increase in an already soaring murder rate.

The number of Arab murder victims doubled in 2023, coinciding with the beginning of Itamar Ben Gvir’s term as national security minister. Local Arab politicians have often placed much blame on police for failing to solve Arab sector murders, contributing to a lack of deterrence against violent crime.