20% involved in physical violence: "This is already a war within Israeli society"
There has been an increase in serious youth offenses since the beginning of the war, and the system warns that without an inter-ministerial national plan, no fundamental change will occur. The opposition is demanding emergency discussions, while the Ministry of Education is settling for point-specific "emotional dialogue" only.
Written by Yuval Bagno
Maariv
April 27, 2026
The epidemic of severe criminal acts by minors and against minors knows no bounds, from shocking murders this past week in Petah Tikva and Be'er Sheva to the teenage gangs terrorizing Tel Aviv. All the recent cases raise the question of whether, as a result of the security, political, and social reality in Israel, youth delinquency has also increased.
A data review by Ma'ariv reveals that in recent years, alongside a general decline in youth delinquency, there has been an increase in serious offenses committed by teenagers, including sex offenses and crimes against human life. Data collected by the Israel National Council for the Child indicates that between 2023, the year before the outbreak of the October 7 war, until the beginning of 2025, even though there was a 2% decrease in the total number of files involving minors as perpetrators, the number of files where minors are suspected of sex offenses rose by about 8%. Furthermore, the number of files where minors are suspected of crimes against people rose by about 12%, and the trend continues.
"The sequence of recent events shakes our world, yet it seems to have become routine within the numbing reality of an inconceivable situation as the public sphere becomes a violent arena for teenagers, almost on a daily basis," says Maya Fish Baron, social worker and Director of the Trauma Field at ELEM in Israel. "The data, as well as the reality on the ground, points to the same worrying trend: an increase in the scope and severity of violence among youth in Israel."
In the latest reports by ELEM, as published in the media, we are seeing a clear deterioration, with teenagers becoming more involved in extreme situations like group violence, carrying weapons, rapidly escalating conflicts. The violence is less spontaneous and more planned, with a high readiness "to go all the way."
This data corresponds with the findings of the report by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, based on the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, according to which about 15% - 20% of teenagers report involvement in incidents of physical violence, and one-third of them report exposure to violence or bullying in central areas of their lives. Alongside this, a not insignificant number of students report a feeling of insecurity within schools, which teaches that for many, violence is no longer an exceptional event but part of the routine.
"Alongside the importance of accepting personal responsibility for the perpetrators of offenses and punishment, as being a minor does not grant immunity, it is important to also talk about social responsibility and the functioning of the state," says Adv. Vered Windman, CEO of the Israel National Council for the Child. "There is no shadow of a doubt that the last six years are taking their toll, in society in general and among children and youth in particular; the prolonged and unprecedented closure of the education system, an extreme shortage in care and rehabilitation frameworks for youth, under-budgeting and a chronic absence of skilled manpower, the endless turnover of youth counselors and professional staff in general; a lack of investment in significant leisure activities and awareness activities for the prevention of the use of dangerous substances. All of these have a very heavy price."
It's not just a matter of enforcement and police, but primarily one of community and education.
Adv. Windman emphasizes, "If we put the extreme situation of youth violence into the broader context of society in general, it is expressed in both violent discourse and violent acts, the rate of which is only rising—this is a recipe for disaster. Safety is not measured only by defense against external threats, but also against internal social dangers. A government must pay attention to appropriate prevention initiatives and programs, education, and response frameworks in order to prevent severe phenomena, including violence."
"Youth violence is not the problem of a single school or a single family, but a national problem that requires putting everyone around the table and creating a discourse that includes everyone, and not just acting alone within the system,' says Fish Baron. "It is about all the social organizations that come into contact with youth at risk, government ministries such as education, health, and welfare, and security, all of them working in tandem to create a routine of regular work. Just as there is a war outside, there is also a war within youth."
She adds, "The danger is the moment in which we stop being surprised. When a teenager is murdered, it becomes just another 'item' that passes through our feed, and life becomes worthless. How much longer will we continue to leave youth to deal alone with the violence that is being sown - by silence or by action - in all parts of society?"
The youth is not the problem. It is the mirror of our society.
It is easy to blame the generation. It is convenient because it absolves us of responsibility. However, these teenagers of 2026 are growing up in a reality saturated with violence. Public discourse is full of it, the civilian sphere is tense, and years of war shake every sense of stability and personal security. Conversely, it is this same generation -which parallels the rise in violence - that volunteers in droves and initiates civil action in a way that awakens wonder.
Youth workers describe a rise in the level of violence and the ease with which situations escalate. Today, what once ended with a curse or a shove deteriorates quickly into beatings, and sometimes even the use of implements for harm.
The feeling is of a generation living in a continuous state of tension, anxiety, helplessness, and burnout within frameworks that adults are supposed to maintain.
"In the past, schools or the community would identify issues early and mediate conflicts, but today that gap has widened," adds Fish Baron. "Teachers are not meeting with youth enough, partly due to prolonged periods of war and absences from educational frameworks, which weakens the ability to identify distress in time."
Shame is disappearing and the illusion of "out of sight, out of mind".
It seems today that an inseparable part of the assault is the documentation, if not the goal itself. Attackers document, bystanders stand aside and film, share, and encourage with likes.
"The algorithms of social networks reward content that arouses strong and powerful emotions. The more successful such content is, the more it is promoted," says Fish Baron. "Teenagers understand the rules of the game very quickly. They see what gets attention, what goes viral. In such a reality, the assault is an opportunity to generate visibility and even momentary fame. Even those who don't attack participate."
She emphasizes that for years, it was believed that violence stops at a certain geographic line, but violence does not stop at barriers. "When violent gangs gain an aura of power and criminal branding on social networks, they become a role model for every city and become everyone's problem," she says.
As Members of the Knesset (MK) push for an emergency discussion, the Ministry of Education is unresponsive.
MK Adi Azuz (Yesh Atid) a member of the Education Committee, demands an urgent discussion on the issue in the committee.
"This is a severe and dangerous phenomenon that requires immediate, systemic, and inter-ministerial intervention, with an emphasis on the Ministry of Education's responsibility to prevent and deal with the phenomenon," says Azuz. "We must ensure the education system provides tools to staff in educational settings to prevent the next case of violence and help process the difficult and traumatic events for the students who are dealing with emotional difficulties as part of the costs of the war."
"The Minister of Education in Israel is busy being a 'commissar' of teachers and school principals, instead of worrying about the values of our children," says Naama Lazimi (The Democrats), another Member of the Knesset. "The horrific murders of two young people by teenagers are part of a violent, bullying, nationalist climate that is also a product of the regime coup, budget cuts, and neglect, and of the corruption and the lack of care that is so heavy on the part of the government."
MK Ron Katz (Yesh Atid) also demands that the Ministry of Education hold emergency classes following the wave of violent incidents.
"It is impossible to remain indifferent to the harsh violence that has claimed lives in recent days. The Ministry of Education is the first line of defense for Israeli society, not only in imparting values, but in teaching human dignity, sensitivity, and responsibility," says Katz. "We must act now to stop and give the young generation real tools to choose life and not violence."
The Ministry of Education responded, "Professional staff in the regions have been instructed to hold educational dialogues in the cities where the events occurred, in order to identify distress and prevent further harm."
The only coalition voice heard so far regarding this issue is the Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, MK Kati Shitrit (Likud), who announced that she plans to hold a special emergency discussion next week with the participation of all relevant ministries and stakeholders, with the goal of providing an immediate and effective response to the phenomenon.
"This wave of severe violence we are witnessing requires a joint, deep, and continuous effort between all relevant factors - the State, Ministry of Education, Welfare Ministry, and Ministry of National Security - it will not be possible to stop the deterioration," says Shitrit. "Unfortunately, so far, there is no infrastructure for inter-ministerial work, there is no full coordination, and there is no meeting led by a cohesive program. This situation cannot continue. We must sit together and present clear and applicable solutions'."