Man Shot Dead in Lower Galilee; Criminal Motive Suspected

A man in his thirties was killed Friday morning after being shot on Highway 65 near Maghar in the Lower Galilee region. Police have opened an investigation, stating the incident is believed to be criminal in nature. Senior paramedic Fadi Othman of Magen David Adom reported that medical teams arrived to find the victim on the sidewalk near a bus stop, unconscious and suffering from penetrating wounds. A citizen had begun resuscitation efforts under emergency center guidance before medical teams took over, but the man's injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was identified as Eyal Heib, 37, from Tuba-Zangaria. He was serving a prison sentence for a previous murder conviction and was participating in a rehabilitation program allowing him to work outside prison daily. Heib was on his way to his job at a wood factory in Hazor HaGelilit when unknown assailants intercepted him and opened fire at the bus stop. This incident follows two other fatal shootings overnight: a 25-year-old man killed in Baqa al-Gharbiyya and a 22-year-old man in Tamra. Five people were injured in those incidents, one critically, and seven others were wounded in separate violence across the country. According to the Abraham Initiatives organization, the number of victims of crime and violence in the Arab community since the start of 2026 has reached 197, including 188 citizens and nine residents. Of these, 168 were killed by gunfire, one by being run over, nine by stabbing, and six in fires. Thirteen women and girls were among the victims, along with nine killed by police. This figure represents an 8% decrease compared to 215 fatalities during the same period last year.