Woman found dead in Beersheba apartment in suspected murder; partner arrested

Victim in her 40s found with signs of violence on her body; higher rate of femicide in Israel this year than last

Illustrative: Police at the scene of a double murder in Isfiya, northern Israel, April 13, 2024. (Israel Police)
Illustrative: Police at the scene of a double murder in Isfiya, northern Israel, April 13, 2024. (Israel Police)

A woman was found dead in an apartment in Beersheba on Wednesday in what seems to have been a murder, police said, later announcing that they had arrested the woman’s partner.

The death possibly marked the eleventh incident of femicide this year.

Magen David Adom medics found the woman, who was in her 40s, with signs of violence on her body and declared her dead, a police statement said.

A number of hours later, police said the woman’s partner — a man in his 50s — had been arrested.

Prior to Wednesday’s incident, eleven women had been murdered in Israel this year so far, marking an increase compared to the same time frame in 2023. Twenty-two women were murdered in incidents of femicide in 2023.

Last week, an Arab Israeli woman was found dead in the village of Abu Snan in another suspected murder.

In March, a 35-year-old woman was stabbed to death in Tel Aviv, and two women were killed just hours apart in the north.

Women’s rights activists have voiced concerns in recent months that changes in key areas of government policy will have an impact on women’s safety.

In particular, they have condemned the decision by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in February to cease funding the Michal Sela Forum’s security programs for women at risk of domestic abuse.

In addition, they have warned that recently relaxed firearm restrictions could exacerbate the violence that women face, particularly those in violent or dangerous living situations.

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