A 79-year-old man and his 69-year-old wife were found shot to death at home in Kfar Yona in central Israel on Tuesday in what police suspect was a murder-suicide committed by the husband.
Both deaths were confirmed at the scene. An initial investigation into the incident revealed that the wife was likely shot in the living room with a pistol which was lawfully owned by the man, who later likely shot himself on the balcony.
According to Israeli media, police speculate that the husband may have murdered his wife due to her apparent intention to leave him.
The investigation also revealed that the wife had rented an apartment which she was planning to move into later this week.
Neighbors reportedly called the police after hearing multiple gunshots.
“Today we all must demand that negotiating teams [working to for a unity government] immediately commit to the implementation of the plan against domestic violence,” said Na’amat Chair Hagit Pe’er in response to the incident.
“Any government that is formed will need to implement once and for all the plan that was approved in 2017.
“Hundreds of thousands of women in Israel living with domestic violence cannot continue waiting for politicians.”
According to government data, a third of the women killed by their partners in 2018 and 2019 had previously filed police complaints against the men accused of killing them. Six of the suspects in such murders between 2018 and 2020 had previous convictions related to domestic violence.
Some 25 women in Israel were killed by a partner or someone close to them in 2020 – and more than five Israeli women have been killed by a partner or family member so far this year.
Eve Young contributed to this report.