LOD, April 23, 2026 (WAFA) – Two men in their thirties were killed on Wednesday night after being shot near the city of Lod, amid a continued rise in organized crime in Palestinian communities inside the 1948 territories.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, another young man was killed after being shot inside a vehicle in the village of Ein al-Asad in the Galilee, less than 24 hours after a double killing in the village of Yarka, which claimed the lives of a 24-year-old young man and his fiancée, 21, after gunfire targeted their vehicle.

Data shows that the number of victims of murder crimes in Palestinian communities inside the 1948 territories has risen to 90 since the beginning of 2026.

During the same period last year, the number of victims stood at 77, reflecting an increase of 21 percent.

This rise in crime and violence in Arab communities inside Israel comes amid accusations of Israeli police negligence and complicity with organized crime, and their failure to provide security and safety for Arab citizens.

T.R.