Boy, 15, shot to death in northern town, reportedly by accident

Victim identified as Labib Safiya of Kafr Yasif; police say manhunt underway and background of shooting likely criminal, as wave of violence plaguing Arab communities continues

A 15-year-old boy was shot to death Wednesday evening in the northern town of Kafr Yasif, as the wave of violent crime plaguing Israel’s Arab communities continues.

Hebrew media identified the boy as Labib Safiya, a resident of the town.

According to Hebrew media reports, Safiya was not the target of the shooting, and was hit by stray bullets. Haaretz reported that the gunfire targeted the owner of an adjacent store.

The boy was rushed in critical condition to Galilee Medical Center, where he was declared dead after medical teams unsuccessfully attempted to resuscitate him, Israel Police said.

The shooting appears to be criminal in nature, police said, though the circumstances remain under investigation.

A hunt for suspects is underway, which includes the use of a police helicopter, police added.

Since the start of the year, 235 Arab citizens have been killed in violent incidents, putting 2025 on track to be the deadliest year for Arab Israeli society to date. The vast majority of those homicide cases have gone unsolved.

The Abraham Initiatives group, which tracks murders in Arab society, has put the percentage of homicides solved by police at just 10 percent so far this year.

Since 2023, the number of Arab Israelis violently killed has been double that of preceding years, with many blaming the homicides on a lack of deterrence.

Arab Israeli leaders have also complained of being left out of discussions on how to resolve the issue.