Mother and daughter shot dead in Israel as violence escalates
A total of three Palestinian citizens of Israel have now been killed in 24 hours.
Jerusalem24 – 34-year-old Manar Abu Hajaj and her 14-year-old daughter Khudra were shot and killed last night in the Palestinian-Jewish city of Al-Lyd in Israel.
Another daughter was moderately injured.
According to details published by Haaretz, the woman and her twin daughters were sitting in a car next to their house when a masked assailant shot them before fleeing the scene. The surviving daughter said the gun aimed at her failed to fire. She ran out of the parking area as the killers chased after her, but she managed to escape.
A neighbor who witnessed the events said she was shot in the leg while escaping.
“At 22:39, Information Center 101 received a report about several injuries in a shooting incident in Lod [the Israeli name for Al-Lyd], and medical staff provided initial treatments to three injuries, including a woman in critical condition who underwent resuscitation operations, and a girl in serious condition,” said a spokesman from the Magen David Adom (Israel’s national emergency service).
The injured were urgently referred to Assaf Harofeh Hospital for treatment, but the mother and one of her twin daughters were declared dead after failed attempts to resuscitate them.
Israeli police said they have opened an investigation into the crime.
Injured and kidnapped
In the Palestinian city of Taibeh, also in Israel, an injured man who had been shot was being transported to hospital in an ambulance when he was kidnapped at gunpoint, according to Arab48.
A statement by the Israeli police said that it is investigating the circumstances of the crime after the victim (whose identity is not yet known) was shot in the foot. The police also said they arrested a suspect from Taibeh for involvement in the kidnapping.
72 Palestinian citizens of Israel killed in violent incidents since January
On Sunday, Palestinian journalist Nidal Ijbaria was killed after being shot in his car by unknown assailants. A total of three Palestinian citizens of Israel have now been killed in 24 hours.
The Palestinian community in Israel is witnessing a dangerous escalation in violence and murder. Many in the community believe that the Israeli police is failing to play their role in curbing this phenomenon.
Since the beginning of this year, over 70 Palestinians with Israeli citizenship have been killed, including at least nine women. Many of the victims appear to be relatives of people indebted to loan sharks.