At least two men were killed after two car bombings, one in Jaffa and one in Holon, on Sunday morning, Israel Police confirmed.
Another wounded person was taken to Wolfson Medical Center, police noted. They were later identified as the 6-year-old child of the victim from Jaffa, police added.
The 38-year-old driver from the car explosion in Holon had critical wounds and severe burns and was rushed to the nearest hospital, MDA said.
The Israel Police are investigating the cause of the explosions, but it is believed that the incident is criminal-related and could possibly be a revenge killing.
The vehicle in Jaffa drove approximately 100 meters before the explosion occurred, according to initial investigations. It appears that a kindergarten is located approximately 50 meters from the explosion site, authorities noted.
The police are looking into the possibility that the explosion is a revenge killing, linked with the murder of a child in Jaffa last week.
“We are aware of the conflict that took place in Jaffa on Thursday, and we are still checking if the incidents are connected,” Israel Police’s Tel Aviv District Commander, Asst.-Ch. Haim Sargarof told the press at the scene.
Neighbor: ‘I thought a missile exploded’
An eyewitness who lives in the area told Walla that she was certain a missile had fallen and exploded.
Following the explosion, she ran home out of fear that her children would be exposed to images she would not want them to see, she added. “I was afraid my children would see it. I quickly went upstairs to make sure they were in their room and would not go out to look through the windows.”
“It was lucky that the child was sitting in the back and not next to his father,” she added.
“Our neighbors took the child straight to Wolfson. I do not think he had time to see what had happened to his father. They immediately put him in a car and drove him to the hospital. We are all still in shock,” she stated.
“What has become of our country? Every other day, there are targeted killings here in Jaffa. The underworld is in control, and all you can do is pray that one day you won’t be hurt by mistake. It’s frustrating, it’s frightening, and above all, you never know when the next time will be,” said the neighbor.
Abraham Initiatives blames Ben-Gvir’s National Security Ministry policies
The Abraham Initiatives blamed National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for the incident.
“A father was murdered this morning when a bomb exploded while he was driving his six-year-old son to school. The child was wounded and orphaned when the father was killed,” the NGO said.
“This is the reality of Israel in 2026 under [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir. The life of the six-year-old will not be the same, but like the lives of hundreds of families who have lost their loved ones since the beginning of the year,” it added.
“This is what a national emergency looks like, and the government is silent. We all need to wake up,” it concluded.
The NGO is a “Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli organization that advances social inclusion and equal rights for Israel’s Palestinian citizens by influencing public policy, shaping public opinion and demonstrating practical models for a shared society,” according to its website. It monitors and publishes information on violence in the Israeli-Arab sector of society, and has been highly critical of Ben-Gvir over recent months.
La Guardia Tunnel closed to traffic after body found
Meanwhile, Tel Aviv’s La Guardia Tunnel along the Ayalon Highway (Highway 20) was closed to traffic shortly before Sunday from West to East after the body of a man was found at the site, police said.
Police said there was, at this stage, no suspicion of criminal activity, and drivers were asked to follow instructions, avoid the road, and choose alternative routes.
Hodaya Ran contributed to this report.
