Five Killed in Central Israel Amid Rising Public Safety Fears and Family Feuds

Over a violent 24-hour period in central Israel, five people were murdered in separate incidents across Tayibe, Jaffa, Holon, and Kalansawa, with the latter site witnessing a double killing. The spate of violence has heightened public anxiety, with a recent Walla survey revealing that 48% of respondents feel completely unsafe in public spaces, and only 20% feel very secure.

In Kalansawa, Adnan Ghanem and Galeb Abu Ras were fatally shot while driving, in what police suspect is a family feud linked to blood revenge, a conflict that has claimed nine lives, six of them in the past six months. Surveillance footage showed two masked assailants on electric bikes shooting at the victims’ car, then approaching to fire additional shots at close range before fleeing.

In Holon, 25-year-old Mustafa Abu Lassan was killed when a half-kilogram explosive device detonated in his car near a gas station. Abu Lassan had been investigated over a year ago for alleged involvement in aiding a murder but was released. Emergency services reported his condition as critical and unstable.

In Jaffa, 38-year-old Iyad Algarab died after a bomb attached to his Mazda exploded, severely injuring him and moderately wounding his six-year-old son. Police forensic teams are investigating the incident, which is believed to be criminally motivated.

Meanwhile, in Tayibe, 19-year-old Bakr Nuseirat was shot dead outside his home shortly after returning from a wedding, with another young man seriously injured. Authorities suspect the killing is connected to an ongoing extended family dispute, which previously led to the murder of Nuseirat’s cousin. Despite large police operations and investigations, no arrests have been made in any of the cases. Since the start of 2026, 141 Arab citizens have been killed amid escalating family and criminal conflicts.