NETANYA — Rabbi Amos Guetta was stabbed to death on July 1, 2026, inside a yeshiva on Shimon Bar Yochai Street in Netanya following morning prayers. Doctors at Laniado Hospital pronounced him dead.

Preliminary information received by Israel Police indicates the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Rabbi Guetta four times after an argument broke out. The suspect had allegedly come to the yeshiva to pray with Rabbi Guetta, and they had previously met during a rehabilitation process. Several former criminals who had returned to religious observance were with Rabbi Guetta at the time of the attack.

Magen David Adom received the initial report of the stabbing at 5:45 a.m. Medical teams found Rabbi Guetta unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, and with severe penetrative wounds. The suspect fled the scene immediately after the stabbing.

Israel Police later arrested a suspect in his 20s, a Netanya resident, in connection with the murder. The suspect is described as apparently mentally unstable and known to police.

Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Kalman Meir Bar mourned the death of Rabbi Guetta. "Together with the entire House of Israel, including thousands of his students and listeners, I mourn bitterly and with a torn heart the shocking passing of the righteous Kabbalist Rabbi Amos Guetta," Rabbi Bar announced. Rabbi David Yosef, the Rishon LeZion Chief Rabbi of Israel, also reacted to the murder.

Netanya Mayor Avi Slama announced Rabbi Guetta's death. "With great sadness and great pain, I received the bitter news of the passing of the holy Kabbalist, Rabbi Amos Guetta, a tremendous scholar, who was a great light and pillar of Torah and kindness in the city," Slama said. Rabbi Guetta had returned to religious observance decades prior, after he had studied medicine, and gave up his medical studies to devote himself to Torah study and helping others.