Three young men from Jaljulia were found shot dead in the back seat of a burning car in open ground in the Sharon early Sunday, in what police are investigating as a targeted killing.
They are brothers Zein and Qasem Odeh, 16 and 19, and their cousin Yahya Basimi, 22. Investigators suspect the three were shot and the vehicle was then set alight. It was found roughly 36 kilometres north of their home town, near Jatt. Magen David Adom received the report at 3:09 a.m. and rescue crews worked to extinguish the flames before large police forces arrived to collect evidence.
Emergency medical technician Abed Biadsi and paramedic Ahava Saadia said that once the fire was out they found three men inside with no pulse and no breathing, and could only pronounce them dead at the scene. The bodies were sent to the Abu Kabir forensic institute for identification.
The three had spent Saturday evening at a wedding. Police say their movements could not be traced from the moment they left it, and investigators have taken statements from family members in an effort to reconstruct where the car went. The case is being handled by the Coast District central investigative unit. No arrests have been reported.
Jaljulia mayor Rabi Darwish said that residents were learning what they know from social media. Nobody there understands what happened, he said.
