Family Bids Final Farewell to Yana Zikova Murdered in Kiryat Haim

Family and friends gathered Friday at the Darchei Shalom cemetery in Haifa to pay their final respects to Yana Zikova, who was murdered by her ex-husband, Pablo Pelakush, in her Kiryat Haim apartment in front of their six-year-old son.

Her parents, Nadiya and Vladimir, flew in from Ukraine to attend the funeral, weeping uncontrollably and struggling to comprehend the heavy disaster that struck their family. "This is an unthinkable tragedy—a mother murdered in her living room while her young six-year-old son sat nearby and watched what his father did to his mother," a relative shared.

The victim's mother, Nadiya, who arrived in Israel earlier in the week, cried out in anguish during the service: "He murdered my daughter. No one could help her. He stabbed her 20 times with a knife all over her body. It is terrible what he did to her. Why? Why?" She added that she managed to speak with her grandson by phone, noting he is currently under the care of welfare authorities from the Haifa municipality.

Wreaths were placed on Yana's fresh grave as mourners embraced her mother, who was deeply attached to her only daughter. The grieving mother vowed to do everything possible to raise her six-year-old grandson in a safe and loving environment.

The fatal stabbing occurred on October 23 in Yana's home. MDA paramedics fought for an extended period to save her life before pronouncing her dead at the scene. Police subsequently arrested the suspect and launched an investigation, alerted by a neighbor who heard screams. Neighbors described Yana as a devoted mother who lived alone with her child after separating from the suspect, noting she had previously expressed fear of him.