Woman, 31, shot to death in Bedouin town in south
12 suspects, including victim’s brother and husband, arrested; report says police believe killing linked to family dispute; death comes as Arab community strikes over rising crime
A 31-year-old woman was found dead after a shooting in the town of Tel Sheva in the south on Sunday.
Paramedics and emergency medical technicians who responded found the woman with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Despite attempts to resuscitate her, she was declared dead at the scene in Neighborhood 38 of the Bedouin town in the Negev Desert.
Twelve suspects were arrested for questioning, among them the woman’s husband and brother, the Israel Police said in a statement.
The suspects, all residents of Tel Sheva, were nabbed from various locations across the country, the statement said.
This event is the latest in a wave of violent crimes and murders that have recently affected the Arab community in Israel.
Many Arab Israeli community leaders put the blame on 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.
On Thursday, the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel called for a general strike on Sunday in the Arab community in response to the rising crime.
The strike was announced after a school principal was killed in a car bombing in Baqa al-Gharbiya.
Schools, businesses, and public institutions in Arab towns and villages across the country are closed.
Since the beginning of 2024, 205 Arab Israelis have been killed in criminal incidents, according to a report by the Abraham Initiatives, a coexistence watchdog that tracks crime statistics.
The woman killed in Sunday’s shooting is the 18th woman killed in violent crime in Israel this year.
Women’s rights activists have voiced concerns that changes in key areas of government policy have had a negative impact on women’s safety.
In addition, they have warned that recently relaxed firearm restrictions, as well as heightened tensions due to the ongoing war, could exacerbate the violence that women face, particularly those in violent or dangerous living situations.
