26-year-old woman shot and seriously wounded in Lod ambush

A 26-year-old woman was seriously wounded by gunfire on Friday evening in the central city of Lod.

The woman was later named as Lamis Abu Laban, a recently divorced mother of three young children.

The woman was treated at the scene by paramedics from the Magen David Adom ambulance service before she was taken to Assaf Harofeh Medical Center.

She underwent surgery overnight and was said on Saturday morning to be in serious but stable condition.

According to the Haaretz daily, the gunman waited in ambush outside the woman’s home and opened fire as she drove up.

Citing police sources, reports said the initial suspicion is that the shooting was linked to the woman’s divorce.

The Ynet news site said Abu Laban had originally lived in Lod but recently moved to Haifa with her children. She was said to be back in the central city on Friday for a visit.

Police announced that an investigation had been opened and that officers were searching for suspects.

Arab communities have seen a surge in violence in recent years, driven mainly by organized crime. Arab Israelis 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. The community has also suffered from decades of neglect.

Activists have long complained that not enough is done to prevent violence against women in Israel.