In less than an hour on Tuesday night, two people were murdered and three wounded by gunfire in Arab-Israeli communities in the north of the country. A few hours later, a third person was murdered and two wounded in the south.

Despite the eve of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, six people were wounded to varying degrees by gunshot or stab wounds in several Arab-Israeli localities across the country. In total, 109 people have been murdered in the minority sector since the beginning of the year, compared with 44 in the same period last year.

In the north, Amir Sawad was shot in Shafram. He was taken to Haifa's Rambam hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead after lengthy attempts at resuscitation.

Ashraf Abu Nasser, a 30-year-old resident of Nazareth, was killed in Kfar Kana. He also died shortly after arriving at hospital. 

The police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the murders. Preliminary assessments indicate both cases involved conflicts between rival criminal gangs.

In the south, 25-year-old Hassan Yacoub Abu Altif was taken to Beer Sheba's Soroka hospital in critical condition after suffering a gunshot wound, where he died. The police have launched an investigation, carried out searches and taken evidence to locate the suspects in Rahat. Initial assessments also point to the possibility of rivalry between criminal gangs.