Lod woman shot dead overnight, several suspects arrested

A woman in her 50s was shot dead in her car in Lod last night, police and paramedics say.

The victim, Sahar Abu Hajjaj, was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene of the shooting outside her house.

Police say they have arrested several suspects in relation to the murder. No suspected motive is given.

Since the start of the year, 88 Arab Israelis have been killed as a result of violent crime, five of them women.

Abu Hajjaj was reportedly under threat and her situation was known to police. Law enforcement claim she had previously refused assistance despite officers’ attempts to reach out.

Last week, 40-year-old Susan Abdelqader Bishara was shot dead in her car in the city of Tira. She was a known social activist who had been a candidate in the central city’s municipal elections.