Woman Stabbed to Death in Kiryat Haim Witnessed by 6-Year-Old Son

A woman, approximately 40 years old, was fatally stabbed in her home in Kiryat Haim, north of Haifa, on Friday evening, October 23. Police suspect her partner, a man around 30 years old, committed the murder. Emergency medical services attempted to save her life for an extended period but were ultimately forced to declare her dead at the scene. Investigators found the suspect inside the apartment, neutralized and arrested him. The crime is believed to have been committed with a knife. The couple's six-year-old son was present in the apartment and witnessed the tragedy; social services have taken custody of the child. A neighbor alerted police after hearing screams from the apartment around 6:45 PM. Neighbors described the incident as a "terrible tragedy," noting the victim had expressed fear of the suspect and that they were living separately. They characterized her as an "exemplary mother" raising her child alone. The victim's mother had reportedly visited Israel about a month prior before returning to Ukraine.

According to data from the Michal Sela Forum, 12 women have been killed by their partners in Israel since the beginning of 2026. Three additional women were killed by other family members, and four men were victims of killings by relatives or former partners, including Benayahu Razi. Three children were also killed. Hagit Peer, Chairwoman of the NA'AMAT women's organization, expressed deep sorrow over the killing and called for a national program to prevent violence against women, with a dedicated budget and clear timelines, to be a commitment of the next government. She urged all political parties to adopt this pledge before the upcoming elections.