Israel's Failed War On Domestic Violence
Deadliest Year on Record: Femicide Rate Explodes as Murders in Eight Months Match All of Last Year
A bleak Knesset report reveals that 2025 is the deadliest year for Israeli women in a decade, with nearly half of the victims having previously complained of domestic violence, highlighting a massive failure in police enforcement and trust.
A bleak and alarming picture of escalating violence against women in Israel was presented in the Knesset this morning, revealing that in the first eight months of 2025, the number of women murdered has already equalled the total number recorded in all of 2024. This trajectory points to the current year becoming the deadliest in the past decade, a tragic milestone that advocates describe as an indictment of Israeli society and its failing response to domestic abuse.
In the past decade, over 300 women have been killed, averaging around 27 per year. However, last year saw 35 women murdered, which was the highest number until now. This year, data indicates a troubling rise in the use of firearms in these murders, with 21 women killed with guns so far in 2025, compared to 13 in 2024. A majority of these were committed with illegal weapons.
The Face of the Crisis
The human cost of this systemic failure is staggering. Among the murdered this year was Hodaya Fadida, killed by her ex-husband while she was reportedly three months pregnant with her new partner’s child. Her sister, Aliza Levy, adopted by Hodaya’s mother, spoke tearfully in the Knesset debate, lamenting the lack of progress and stating, "I am threatened, and I am the next woman to be murdered."
Another victim, Tahlil Amer, 28, was shot dead in the Arab town of Kafr Qasim. Her murder hit a dead end after several family members were detained but later released due to lack of evidence, prompting her family to demand that police "uncover everything she went through" until her death.
Advocates, including Lili Ben Ami of the Michal Sela Forum, which bears the name of her murdered sister, emphasized the deep pain and frustration:
"We are a number of families of murdered women, and what is happening is simply heartbreaking. What is happening here is unacceptable. We have already raised the alarm and continue to do so."
A Systemic Failure in Justice
The tragic rise in murders is compounded by systemic failures in enforcement and accountability, which vary starkly between different communities:
Lack of Trust in Police
Despite a significant increase in calls to women's organizations and welfare services, the number of formal complaints filed with the police has largely stagnated. This discrepancy suggests a lack of trust in the police to handle these matters effectively.
The data supports this lack of confidence:
The data confirms that the crisis is not an abstract social issue, but a profound systemic failure of the state to protect its female citizens, demanding emergency legislative and enforcement measures.