Tragic Murder-Suicide in Bat Yam: Man Kills Wife, Jumps to Death After 9-Hour Standoff

A 51-year-old woman was found stabbed to death in her Bat Yam apartment yesterday (Monday) morning in a horrific incident that culminated in her partner, the suspect, committing suicide by jumping from the roof of their building after a 9-hour standoff with police. The tragedy, which unfolded on Eli Cohen Street, has left two children orphaned and the community reeling.

Details of the Incident

At 9:15 a.m., Magen David Adom (MDA) and police responded to reports of an unconscious woman in an apartment. Emergency teams found the woman, 51, with multiple stab wounds, without a pulse, and declared her death at the scene. Her partner, identified as the suspect, fled to the roof of the building, where he barricaded himself for 9 hours. During the standoff, he shouted at onlookers, “Stay away from me, or I’ll fall on you. You also have children,” according to eyewitnesses.

Police deployed a negotiation unit and tactical forces in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. Superintendent Daniel Haddad, Ayalon District Commander, stated, “We conducted continuous negotiations with dozens of professional negotiators and prepared tactical units to bring him down safely.” Despite these efforts, the suspect jumped to his death around 6:15 p.m., with his death confirmed by rescue forces at the scene. Haddad called the event “tragic,” noting that “two orphans remain” as a result.

Neighbors reported hearing an argument from the apartment earlier that morning. “I heard shouts, I didn’t understand what was happening,” one neighbor said. Another, Alexis, who grew up with the family, added, “There was no prior warning.” The suddenness of the violence has left residents in shock.

A Wave of Violence in Israel

The Bat Yam incident marks the second deadly violent event in Israel within hours, following the shooting of a 30-year-old man in Netanya.