Two more Palestinian citizens of Israel shot dead, pushing 2023 death toll to 129

Two Palestinian citizens of Israel were shot dead on Saturday as a crime wave among the Palestinian community inside Israel's 1948 borders continued.

Cousins Mohammad and Rashaa Amash, aged 19 and 28 respectively, were both rushed to hospital after being critically wounded by gunfire in the Palestinian town of Jisr al-Zarqa in central Israel, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

They were pronounced dead hours later.

The shooting reportedly happened during an engagement ceremony at a family house.

An investigation has been launched and no suspects have yet been arrested. Eyewitnesses said two armed individuals infiltrated the house and began shooting at attendees indiscriminately, according to Haaretz.

The latest deaths bring the total number of Palestinian citizens of Israel killed this year to 129, already surpassing the total 2022 death toll of 111.

Three were killed this week alone, including the son of Nazareth's deputy mayor, who was shot dead in the Palestinian village of Reineh in northern Israel.

Many of Israel’s Palestinian citizens blame the worsening problem on negligence and inaction by the Israeli police.

Recent protests against the killings prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to involve Israeli domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet yet little else has been done to address the violence gripping Palestinian communities.

Palestinian citizens have expressed fears that Shin Bet’s involvement could allow the government to target them for political reasons.

The Abraham Initiatives non-profit organisation expects the number of deaths to surpass 200 by the end of the year if the crimewave continues unabated.