Kan News Director Itzik Barashi Dies After Being Hit While Cycling

Itzik Barashi, a director at the news division of the public broadcaster Kan, was killed Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle on Highway 44 near the Nesherim interchange, close to Ramla. Barashi, 54, was cycling when the incident occurred. He was critically injured and transported to Shamir-Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead. His funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

The driver who hit Barashi, a man in his 40s from central Israel, was detained for questioning and subsequently released to five days of house arrest. The accident was reported to Magen David Adom's emergency services at 8:02 AM. Paramedics arriving at the scene found Barashi unconscious with a severe head injury. They provided medical treatment and evacuated him by intensive care ambulance to the hospital, where his death was confirmed.

Kan News announced the fatality, stating Barashi had been a valued member of the news division for years. He joined the broadcaster in 2018, near its inception, and served with professionalism and dedication through routine broadcasts and wartime, according to the statement. The organization described him as one of their most professional and talented directors and extended condolences to his wife Shirley, his children Keran, Roi, and Itai, and his family and colleagues.

Journalist Ayelet Hasson also mourned Barashi on Facebook, recalling a recent New Year's greeting and expressing sorrow over his sudden death, which left behind a wife and three children. She noted he was scheduled to work with her that day, as he had for countless broadcasts. Hasson described him as a devoted family man, excellent professional, and above all, a good person and friend, stating he would be greatly missed.