Police Promise Response to End Gun Violence in Rahat

YERUSHALAYIM

Public Security Minister Omer Barlev condemned the situation in the southern town of Rahat as “intolerable,” and said he intends to send in large amounts of police officers to quell the violence.

A number of homes and businesses were targeted in what is believed to be part of a dispute between the Al-Bahiri and Al-Ubara families in the city.

Police chief Kobi Shabtai declared that police regard shootings at cafes and cultural institutions as a form of terrorism.

“Anyone who carries illegal weapons and endangers innocent civilians — on their own heads be it,” he warned. ”We will invest large forces and resources to bring the criminals to justice.”

Shabtai said that several suspects have been arrested and weapons confiscated since the latest outburst.

A 14-year-old girl was moderately wounded by gunfire while at home during the shootings, and was taken to Beersheva’s Soroka Medical Center, where she underwent surgery early Sunday.

The teen’s mother told Kan News that police had ignored their calls for help during sustained gunfire shortly before she was hit.

“There was shooting all night. There was no police. We called and reported it, and each time we were told it was being taken care of,” she said.

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