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Israel Gun Law Liberalization Linked to Surge in Fatal Domestic Violence Against Women
🇩🇿 Algeria /Crime & Justice

Israel Gun Law Liberalization Linked to Surge in Fatal Domestic Violence Against Women

From El Watan · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • The number of armed civilians in Israel has doubled since Oct. 7, 2023, following a policy change by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
  • A report by the Michal Sela Forum indicates that the number of women killed by firearms in domestic violence contexts has also more than doubled in the same period.
  • The report highlights that Arab women constitute the majority of female victims, raising concerns about the proliferation of firearms.

Israel has seen a dramatic increase in firearm-related domestic violence deaths, particularly among women, coinciding with a significant liberalization of gun laws. Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the number of armed civilians in Israel has doubled, driven by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's policies.

Since October 7, 2023, the number of armed civilians in Israel has doubled under the impetus of the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir.

Introducing the context of increased gun ownership and its potential link to violence.

A new report from the Israeli organization Michal Sela Forum reveals a stark rise in women killed by firearms in domestic violence situations. The report states that 22 women have been killed by firearms in domestic or family violence contexts since October 7, compared to only nine in the equivalent period prior to the war. This represents an increase of over 100%.

A report by the Michal Sela Forum reveals that the number of women killed by firearms in a context of domestic violence has also more than doubled over the same period.

Presenting the core finding of the report regarding feminicides.

This surge in gun violence against women aligns directly with Ben Gvir's policy to significantly ease the requirements for obtaining gun licenses. Before October 7, approximately 150,000 civilians legally owned firearms. This number has now surpassed 300,000, according to the report's data. Ben Gvir's stated aim was to allow citizens to defend themselves against potential terrorist attacks, a response to the trauma of the October 7 massacre.

From 150,000 to 300,000 armed civilians in less than two years.

Quantifying the dramatic increase in civilian firearm ownership.

The Michal Sela Forum report also highlights a disturbing demographic trend: the majority of women killed by firearms since October 7 are from Israel's Arab community. Six Jewish women were killed during the same period. This imbalance reflects broader research, particularly from the United States, which consistently shows a heightened risk of lethal domestic violence in areas with widespread firearm ownership, including illegal arms.

The majority of women killed by firearms since October 7 belong to the Arab community of Israel.

Highlighting the disproportionate impact on Arab women.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Watan in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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