Nighttime Incident at the Sea of Galilee Leaves Nine Injured After Suspected Jackal Bites

Nine people were injured overnight near the Sea of Galilee, apparently after being bitten by jackals. The incident took place between Friday and Saturday near Duga Beach, where Magen David Adom teams were dispatched to treat the victims on site.

Seven of the injured were evacuated to the North Medical Center, Poriya, all in mild condition. Among those taken to the hospital were a 12-year-old girl, two men in their 30s, and a woman in her 40s, and each had bite marks. Three other lightly injured people were also evacuated from the scene.

Two additional victims were treated at the beach by MDA medics and did not need hospital care. The event is notable because it comes amid a growing number of rabies-related animal sightings in northern Israel since the start of 2026.

According to Health Ministry reports, at least 16 rabid-animal sightings have been documented in the north this year. In recent months, rabid jackals were found near the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley, including Kibbutz Degania Bet, Kibbutz Ashdot Ya'akov Meuhad, and Moshav Menahamiya, as well as in Moshav Arbel, Rosh Pina, Kadita, Ein Dor, agricultural areas in the Upper Galilee near Ghajar, Neot Mordechai and She'ar Yashuv, and in the Emek HaMa'ayanot communities of Neve Ur, Sde Eliyahu, and Moshav Yardena.