Israeli man allegedly brutally murders wife with an axe in front of their four children

A 43-year-old woman was found dead in Petah Tikva on Sunday night, allegedly beaten with an axe by her husband in front of their four children. The husband was found dead nearby in an apparent suicide. Police said there was no prior history of domestic violence. Activists report 17 women murdered in gender-based violence in 2026.

A 43-year-old woman was found dead in Petah Tikva on Sunday night shortly after midnight, according to police and emergency responders. She was allegedly beaten with an axe by her husband in their apartment in front of their four children, the oldest of whom is 12. The husband was found a few hundred meters from the scene, having apparently taken his own life. Police said initial investigations indicated no history of domestic violence, and neighbors were shocked. The Israel Women's Network stated that 17 women have been murdered in 2026 in cases of gender-based violence, with the main suspect in 80% of cases being a spouse or ex-spouse. The Michal Sela Forum noted this was the fourth femicide since the beginning of October and that 2026 has seen 25 people killed in domestic settings, including four men and four children. Activists called for preventive action, noting that in over one-third of femicide cases, welfare services or police were aware of prior domestic violence.