4 killed in Ramla.. car explosion and fire
A car explosion in the city of Ramla, northwest of Jerusalem, killed at least 4 people and injured others, in what the Israeli police said was likely a “gang attack.”
Illustrative map of the location of the city of Ramla
Haaretz reported that among the four people killed in the attack were three children, who were taken with the other injured to the Shamir Medical Center and the Kaplan Medical Center, and died of their wounds sustained in the car explosion.
Bomb disposal teams that arrived at the scene found “no indication that the explosion was caused by a bomb planted in the car,” according to the Times of Israel.
Police are investigating other possibilities, including that a hand grenade or Molotov cocktail was thrown at the car, causing it to catch fire, and they believe it was a “gang war.”
Ben Gvir blames the attorney general
Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the scene, blaming Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for what he called “the ongoing crime wave in Israel,” claiming she had rejected his request to use “administrative detention.”
Administrative detention is a controversial tool by which Palestinian and, in rare cases, Jewish suspects are held in “terrorism” cases without charge or trial, according to The Times of Israel.
This tool is typically used when authorities have intelligence linking a suspect to a crime, but do not have enough evidence to charge him in a court of law.
Critics say the policy deprives prisoners of due process, and human rights groups have warned it constitutes a violation of civil rights.
Two decades
Experts say the gangs have amassed large stockpiles of weapons over the past two decades and are involved in activities such as drug, arms and human trafficking, prostitution, extortion and money laundering.
In a statement released by the Magen David Adom first responders organization, paramedic Benny Cohen said, “I arrived and saw a huge mess around a car that had exploded and caught fire.”
He added, “The explosion injured a number of passersby due to its force and shrapnel,” explaining that “the burning car was parked next to the entrance to a store, which prevented the people inside from leaving.”
In Ramle, Judith Touati, a mother of seven, told AFP: “They say it’s a personal score-settling, but an explosion in the middle of the city in the middle of the day in a crowded area is crazy.”
“My kids were there just an hour ago,” she added.
