Many Lod residents contacted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Wednesday night to report the sound of gunshots near their homes. One resident, Ofra Lax, even complained about a stray bullet that hit her bedroom; miraculously, she was unharmed.
Ben-Gvir wrote to residents that he had no intention of allowing such a situation to continue. "I spoke with the station commander and demanded that he send forces to the scene," he wrote.
"I also updated the police that if the shooting doesn't calm down within the next few minutes, I intend to come to the city to inspect the situation from in the field and demand intensive action to fight the dangerous illegal weapons," he added.
A few minutes after the residents received Ben-Gvir's message and after an hour of continuous gunfire, the police sent a large force of officers to the city, made arrests, and silence was restored.
Several Lod residents thanked the Minister for his assistance and added, "We have received much attention from the National Security Ministry since Ben-Gvir took over. One of his first tours after beginning the position was in this city, and since then, he's been here a few times. He listened to our distress and is doing everything he can to fix it. We have to restore security in Lod."
Sources in the National Security Minister's office stated, "At 2:00 AM, just as at 2:00 in the afternoon, the Minister is always committed to the citizens of Israel's security and will do what is needed. From the moment that the Minister announced that he would go to Lod, it would appear that the police understood the message, sent in the right forces, and managed to maintain quiet throughout the night."