A 70-year-old man was shot dead Tuesday evening in Jdeideh-Makr in northern Israel while trying to protect his son during a violent attack at their home. His son was seriously wounded in the shooting.
The victim, Mahmoud Naeimi, was taken to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, where doctors attempted to save his life before declaring him dead. His son, around 30 years old, was taken to surgery in serious condition.
70-year-old father killed protecting son in northern Israel shooting
According to footage from the scene, Naeimi, who suffered from multiple health conditions and was connected to a ventilator, was standing outside his home with his son when a vehicle arrived carrying two masked gunmen. The driver remained inside the car while the two suspects entered the house.
The gunmen chased the son and opened fire at him. The father attempted to block their path and shouted at them. The attackers then left the house, but moments later one of them returned and shot Naeimi at point-blank range, killing him at the scene. The second suspect returned, called his accomplice out of the house, and the two fled in a vehicle that was later found burned.
Police forces arrived after receiving reports of the shooting and launched an investigation, along with searches for suspects.
Relatives of Naeimi described him as a respected and beloved figure in the neighborhood. “When we arrived, we heard the son shouting, ‘Leave me and go help my father,’” relatives said. “The murder happened immediately after the Egypt-Argentina World Cup match. At first we thought the gunshots were part of celebrations, but we were shocked to discover that the victim was Mahmoud, an elderly, loved and respected man known for his good behavior and respectful treatment of everyone. He was considered a father figure to all residents of the neighborhood.”
Scene of the shooting in Jdeideh-Makr
The killing came hours after another deadly shooting in the Arab community. Yasser Abu al-Hija, 34, a barber from Tamra, was critically wounded in a shooting and later died from his injuries. A 29-year-old man was also seriously wounded.
According to reports, the gunman arrived at Abu al-Hija’s barbershop on an electric bicycle and entered with the intention of shooting another person. Abu al-Hija was killed after trying to shield his customers from the gunfire.
Yasser Abu al-Hija’s father and son, who was killed in Tamra
His father, Mohammad Abu al-Hija, said: “I never imagined that my son or anyone in my family would be murdered. We are a peace-loving family. My son was killed without any fault of his own, simply because he tried to protect his customers. He was not even the target. Someone else was the target.”
His son, Ali Abu al-Hija, said: “Why did you kill my father? Enough with the violence and the murders. I waited for my father to come home, but he will never return like I was used to.”
Since the start of the year, 153 people have been killed in Israel’s Arab community, according to figures cited in the report.