Police Intensify Search for Gunmen Amid Rising Nighttime Shootings in Lod

In Lod, multiple gunfire incidents were reported overnight between Sunday and Monday, prompting large-scale police and Border Police searches to locate the shooters. The violence stems from a criminal dispute between families in the Arab sector of the city. No injuries were reported. A police helicopter is assisting in the manhunt. Residents expressed deep concern over the escalating insecurity in local WhatsApp groups, describing the situation as unprecedented in recent memory.

Police confirmed the shooting reports around 8 p.m., noting that nightly gunfire has persisted for two to three weeks despite arrests, raids, and confiscations of weapons. Criminals continue to fire indiscriminately across the city without fear. One resident wrote, "The feeling of insecurity in Lod has reached levels we have never known. In recent weeks, especially in the last days, residents are repeatedly exposed to violence and shootings, and the atmosphere on the streets is very tense."

The resident emphasized that locals do not seek publicity but demand personal security, wanting their children to go outside without fear. He urged authorities to present and implement a genuine plan involving more police stations and enforcement forces. He warned that if no solutions exist and the situation worsens, it is time to admit the system is failing. "The residents of Lod deserve security above all," he said.

On July 1, police shot and killed a 28-year-old Lod resident, Sami Gasous, who allegedly attempted to stab a Border Police officer. Initially, police described the incident as a foiled terror attack but later stated all motives were under investigation, including non-nationalistic reasons. The incident began when a woman called emergency services reporting a young man with a knife near Lod’s municipality building. Gasous, who had a history of psychiatric hospitalization, was seen holding a knife at the scene.