Netanyahu speaks with families of 2 men slain by teen gangs

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke earlier today with the families of two young men killed in separate attacks last week by groups of minors in Petah Tikva and Beersheba, as the killings continue to fuel national concern over rising youth violence.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu spoke with the family of 21-year-old Yemanu Binyamin Zelka, who was beaten and stabbed to death by a group of teenagers in Petah Tikva on Independence Day, and with the family of 19-year-old Destao Tzakul, who was fatally stabbed in Beersheba on Friday.

In both cases, the suspects detained by police were all minors.

The prime minister expressed shock to the families over the murders that cut short the lives of “wonderful young men with their entire future ahead of them,” and conveyed condolences on behalf of himself, his wife, Sara Netanyahu, and the Israeli public.

Netanyahu also reiterated his call for the perpetrators to face the full force of the law, and has instructed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Education Minister Yoav Kisch to step up enforcement and hold serious discussions in schools aimed at preventing future incidents.