Police carried out a wave of arrests and searches throughout the country last night, during which 18 people were arrested. 11 of them are suspected of being involved in the massacre near Nazareth in which five people were murdered yesterday. Two of them are suspected of shooting a 3-year-old girl and her uncle in Kafr Kana in northern Israel. A Carlo submachine gun, four pistols, and ammunition were seized.
During the activity in the town of Deir Hana, police heard gunshots and arrested a fleeing suspect with arms and ammunition in his possession. Also, during a search in Kfar Qassem, two suspects were arrested for questioning on suspicion of involvement in illegal activities.
The head of the city council of Yafa an-Naseriyye, where the mass shooting took place, told Channel 13 News that “there have been no murders in our village for many years. The government must take action and deal with crime in Arab society. Yesterday we held an emergency meeting in the village council, and today we are on strike.”
The victims are Rami Margia, 15 years old, Naim Margia, Abu Rajab, Ibrahim Shahada and Muhammad Marwan Kanana. According to the police, the assassins arrived in the area in the few days prior and did “field work” to prepare for the attack.

Yesterday, the Supreme Monitoring Committee of the Arab public in Israel announced a general strike today due to the fatal shooting. Hours later, a 30-year-old man was shot and killed in his car in the area of the Qassem Interchange, and in another incident, in Kfar Kana, a three-year-old toddler was seriously injured by gunfire.
One of the relatives of the toddler, who is hospitalized at Poriah Hospital in Tverya, said in a conversation with Channel 13 News: “She was with her mother in the jewelry store she owns, and was hit by a shot aimed at a target that was in a nearby store. Her condition this morning is stable and we hope for the best.”
Since the beginning of the year, 98 Arab citizens have been murdered.
Last night there was a situation assessment between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, during which the latter said that in his opinion, “the ISA must be brought in immediately.” Prime Minister Netanyahu has released a statement declaring his intention to have the ISA join the Israel Police in fighting violent crime in Arab society.