Three men were shot dead in Nazareth on Wednesday evening in two separate incidents, bringing the number of people killed in Israel’s Arab community since the start of 2026 to 168.
Nur Nafafaa, 32, and Nur Halu, 20, were shot dead while sitting inside a vehicle in the city. Police opened an investigation and launched searches for suspects. A short time later, a vehicle was found burning in a nearby area.
The burning vehicle
Police said the background to the double killing was criminal.
About two and a half hours later, a 27-year-old man was shot elsewhere in Nazareth. He was initially reported in critical condition, but Magen David Adom paramedics later pronounced him dead.
The first report was received by MDA’s 101 emergency center at 7:04 p.m.
Paramedic and senior motorcycle unit medic Alaa al-Din Bashir said: “We saw two men inside their vehicle unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, with severe penetrating injuries to their bodies. We carried out medical checks, but unfortunately there was nothing left for us to do but pronounce them dead.”
The report on the third shooting was received by MDA at 9:23 p.m.
Scene of the third murder
(Photo: Hassan Shaalan)
Bashir and fellow motorcycle unit medic Khalil Kahiz said: “There was a great deal of commotion at the scene, and we saw a 27-year-old man unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, with severe gunshot wounds to his body. We carried out medical checks, but unfortunately his injuries were significant and there was nothing left for us to do but pronounce him dead.”
Police opened investigations into both incidents and continued searching for suspects.
The killings brought the number of people murdered in Israel’s Arab community since the beginning of the year to 168.
The previous killing took place overnight between Saturday and Sunday, when Muhammad Katwan of Jaljulia was shot dead on Leib Ben Sarah Street in Jaffa. Minutes later, another shooting was reported on nearby HaRebbe MiLelov Street, where a man in his 20s was seriously wounded.