Gunfire disrupts Smotrich rally in Lod; residents decry persistent violence

Gunshots were heard in at least four Lod neighborhoods during a rally addressed by Finance Minister Smotrich, with police reporting no casualties. The incident underscores chronic security failures in the city, prompting residents to criticize Minister Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to claim existing tools are inadequate. This is a recurring pattern of localized violence, not a new escalation, but it highlights governance gaps ahead of elections.