A car exploded Wednesday afternoon at the Nahalal Junction in northern Israel, killing a man whose body was found inside the burning wreckage.
Two bystanders sustained minor injuries from the blast, which led authorities to close Highway 73 in both directions.
A car burns at Nahalal Junction after an explosion, killing a man and injuring two bystanders
(Video: from social media)
Fire and rescue crews from the Nof HaGalil station responded to the scene, as police launched an investigation into the circumstances of the explosion.
“Police officers are currently at the scene along with emergency responders, and the incident is under investigation,” a police statement said. Drivers were being diverted to alternate routes.
Police officials later said that “from initial evidence collected at the scene, the suspicion is that the car explosion was criminal in nature. Inside the vehicle, the body of a man was found, whose identity is not yet known.”
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A car burns at Nahalal Junction after an explosion, killing a man and injuring two bystanders
(Photo: Magen David Adom)
The Magen David Adom ambulance service initially reported that the body of a woman was found inside the burning vehicle.
Racheli Avidov, a resident of Nahalal, described the moment of the blast: “The explosion shook the entire area. It was heard at all three schools in Nahalal. It was very frightening. The war isn't over, and the junction is under pressure. It was terrifying — an unusual event in the valley.”
Jezreel Valley Regional Council head Shulamit Shihor-Reichman condemned the incident as a sign of ongoing lawlessness. “This car explosion is yet another proof of the ongoing lack of governance in the region,” she said. “We have repeatedly warned law enforcement and government authorities about this worsening phenomenon. The residents of this area deserve personal security and a clear sense that the law prevails.”
Shihor-Reichman called on the government to grant local authorities the power to establish a municipal police force to improve public safety and respond swiftly to such incidents.