Three Nazareth Residents Arrested Over Recent Double Murder

Three residents of Nazareth were arrested overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday on suspicion of involvement in the double murder of Nour Nafafeh and Nour al-Din Helou in the city last week. According to the suspicion, the background to the murder is a conflict between local gangs and criminal organizations.

The murder took place on the evening of September 2, when a police report was received regarding shooting at a vehicle in Nazareth. As a result of the shooting, Nafafeh and Helou were hit, and their deaths were pronounced.

Large police forces that arrived at the scene launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident, and the investigation was later transferred to the Central Unit (YAMAR) of the Northern District.

Overnight, the investigation became public, and three Nazareth residents, two aged 21 and one aged 23, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder.

In accordance with the development of the investigation, the police are expected to ask the Magistrate's Court in Nof HaGalil-Nazareth this morning to extend the remand of the three suspects.

The double murder marked the beginning of a particularly bloody 24-hour period in Nazareth, during which four people were murdered. About two hours after the shooting in which Nafafeh and Helou were killed, Mustafa Badra was shot dead in what is suspected to be a revenge incident. Badra tried to escape from the shooters, jumped off a cliff, and was shot to death.

Following the series of murders, the police launched a broad operation against criminal organizations in the city. Dozens of police officers and Border Police fighters raided compounds associated with criminal gangs, arrested ten suspects, and seized a handgun, a fragmentation grenade, and additional weaponry. The police stated at the time that the activity was intended to curb the cycle of shooting and murder between rival gangs.