Maghar: A Palestinian citizen of Israel on Friday evening was killed in a shooting in Maghar city in the Haifa district. This incident has pushed the total number of Palestinian citizens of Israel killed since the beginning of 2026 to 142. Among these fatalities, at least three were the result of Israeli police fire, with five women and three minors under the age of 18 also among the victims.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, this surge in violence follows a record year in 2025, during which 252 individuals were killed in 218 separate incidents. The Abraham Initiatives, a non-governmental organization monitoring violence among Palestinian citizens of Israel, provided this data.
Palestinian citizens of Israel have been actively organizing protests in predominantly Palestinian towns and villages. These demonstrations are aimed at raising awareness about the rising violent crimes affecting their communities and accusing Israeli police of complicity and failure to protect them. Over the past decade, the number of deaths has increased approximately fourfold, exacerbating community fears and frustrations.
Palestinians have outlined that their demands go beyond just addressing organized crime. They accuse the Israeli government and law enforcement agencies of not taking the crisis seriously, suggesting that official bodies have neglected Palestinian communities and, in some instances, enabled conditions that allow violence to proliferate.
The rise in killings has persisted since National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, previously convicted of offences related to incitement to racism against Arabs, assumed office in 2023.