Five members of an Arab Israeli family were murdered inside their home in northern Israel today, in an attack blamed by police on common criminal law criminals, amid a surge in crime among the Arab minority.

The attack took place in the town of Bashbat Tabun, in the Haifa region.

Three men and two women were shot and succumbed to their injuries. Two of the victims were teenagers.

A few hours earlier, in the same area, a 50-year-old Arab Israeli was shot and killed in his car.

A total of 188 Arab Israelis have been murdered since the beginning of the year, according to the Israeli non-governmental organization Abraham Initiatives, which promotes the coexistence of Arabs and Jews in Israel.

“The Prime Minister must dismiss the Minister of Public Security and immediately implement a plan to eliminate crime in the Arab community, the situation is urgent“, this organization emphasized.

Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who comes from the extreme right, has been criticized many times for his attitude towards minorities.

According to experts, Arab gangs have amassed large quantities of weapons over the past two decades and are involved in a variety of illegal activities, including drug, arms and human trafficking, prostitution, extortion and money laundering.

Arab Israelis, descendants of Palestinians who remained in the region after Israel was established in 1948, make up about 20% of the country’s population. They argue that they are victims of discrimination and that the police and authorities are not doing enough to protect them and investigate violent crimes. In late May, their representatives demonstrated in Jerusalem demanding that the government take action.