Three men from Jaljulya — brothers Zain, 16, and Qassem Odeh, 19, and their cousin Yahya Basimi, 22 — were found shot and burned in a car near Jatt in the Sharon region. Police suspect they were killed before the vehicle was set ablaze; the probe is ongoing and no arrests have been made. The killings bring the reported Arab-sector criminal incident death toll in 2026 to 176 and have prompted local outcry and calls for stronger government action.
Three From Jaljulya Found Shot and Burned in Car Near Jatt; Police Probe Ongoing
Burned vehicle is seen after authorities discovered three bodies inside it on September 13, 2026 near Jatt, in northern Israel. (photo credit: SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT)
Three men from the town of Jaljulya were found shot and burned inside a vehicle early Sunday in an open area near Jatt in the Sharon region.
Authorities identified the victims as brothers Zain Odeh, 16, and Qassem Odeh, 19, and their cousin Yahya Basimi, 22. Police believe the men were shot before their car was set on fire at the scene, located roughly 36 kilometers north of Jaljulya. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been reported.
"Mourning has descended on the city. We heard about the incident with great sorrow. We do not know what happened. People in the city are getting their information from social media,"— Jaljulya Mayor Rabi Darwish, speaking to Walla.
The mayor added:
"But one thing is clear: the government apparently has still not really begun acting against the murderous crime in Arab society, and we call on it to act, and the sooner the better."
DEMONSTRATORS BLOCK a road in Tel Aviv to protest the indifference of authorities toward organized crime, violence and murder in the Arab sector. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)
This incident raises the reported total number of deaths in Arab-sector criminal incidents in 2026 to 176, compared with 179 in the same period last year, according to data from the Abraham Initiatives, a nonprofit that advocates for equal rights for Israeli Arabs.
Protests have underscored public anger over the violence: demonstrators blocked a road in Tel Aviv to condemn perceived official indifference to organized crime and murders in Arab communities. (Credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)
Emergency responders described the scene. "When we arrived at the scene, we saw a vehicle on fire. After the firefighting operations, we saw three men inside the vehicle who were unconscious, with no pulse and not breathing. We had no choice but to pronounce them dead at the scene," said Magen David Adom emergency medical technician Abed Biyadsi and MDA paramedic Achva Saadia.
Police continue to seek evidence and witnesses. Officials have asked anyone with information about the case to contact investigators as inquiries proceed.
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