Israeli Police Arrest Seven Suspects in Double Murder of Contractor in Golan Heights

On June 19, 2026, contractor Abu Shaheen and Saada Saada were fatally shot at close range in the village of Buq'ata in the northern Golan Heights. The double murder occurred in broad daylight after a report of gunfire directed at a vehicle in the area. Israeli police responded swiftly, with the Northern District commander, Chief Superintendent Meir Eliyahu, assigning the investigation to the Central Unit (YAMAR) of the Northern District.

Following an undercover investigation, seven suspects were arrested last week in connection with the killings. Evidence collected included the vehicle allegedly used by the hit squad, found parked in Kiryat Shmona. Four suspects remain in custody until today, while three others had their detention extended until July 7 and 9. The investigation revealed a brutal sequence of events where the victim was targeted from extortion through to assassination.

Months before the murder, Abu Shaheen was already under threat. Six months prior, ten members of a criminal gang were indicted for extorting him and firing shots at his home in Buq'ata after he refused to pay an inflated debt. The gang claimed a business debt of 1.8 million shekels had been transferred to them and increased to 3.2 million shekels. They extorted hundreds of thousands of shekels and his personal vehicle. On December 25, after Shaheen refused to pay an additional 500,000 shekels, his home was subjected to heavy gunfire.

Three gang members were arrested at the time, and after a month-long investigation, a serious indictment was filed against ten suspects aged 22 to 39 from the towns of Kisra-Sumei, Abu Snan, and Yirka. Charges included extortion, shooting, and weapons trafficking. Abu Shaheen was presumably set to testify against the gang before they returned to kill him. The second victim, Saada Saada, was an unintended casualty caught in the attack.

The police continue to investigate the case, which highlights the ongoing threat of organized crime and violence in the region.