Netanyahu orders school violence review following "unpredictable" stabbing deaths of two young men

PM Netanyahu speaks with families of 2 men killed by teen gangs in Petah Tikva & Beersheba, ordering a school enforcement review as youth crime spikes in 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 1:11 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel and i24NEWS

A National Dialogue on Juvenile Delinquency

The stabbing deaths of two young men from the Ethiopian-Israeli community have ignited a fierce national debate over the efficacy of current policing and education strategies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s direct engagement with the families of Yemanu Binyamin Zelka, 21, and Destao Tzakul, 19, marks a high-profile attempt to address a crisis that police data suggests is spiraling. While the Prime Minister’s Office characterized the victims as "wonderful young men with their entire future ahead of them," the brutal nature of their deaths—perpetrated by suspects as young as 12—has left the public demanding immediate legislative and social reform.

The Independence Day Tragedy in Petah Tikva

The first incident occurred early Wednesday during Independence Day celebrations in Petah Tikva. Yemanu Binyamin Zelka, an employee at a local pizza chain, was reportedly targeted after he asked a group of teenagers to stop harassing customers and spraying party foam inside the store. Security footage captured the group waiting for Zelka to finish his shift before surrounding and brutally beating him. According to police reports, Zelka was stabbed multiple times and succumbed to his wounds two days later. Seven suspects, all of them minors, have since been detained, with investigators describing the group’s behavior as reminiscent of "professional criminals."

Fatal Nighttime Ambush in Beersheba

Days after the Petah Tikva killing, 19-year-old Destao Tzakul was fatally stabbed outside his home in Beersheba. Tzakul, who had recently completed a pre-military preparatory program, reportedly went downstairs on Friday night to meet individuals he believed were friends. Instead, he was met by masked attackers in what police describe as a planned assault. Three minors have been arrested in connection with the homicide. The proximity of the two murders, both involving victims of Ethiopian heritage and teenage perpetrators, has led community leaders to warn of a "culture of contempt for life" festering among the nation's youth.