Sharks return to Israeli coast near Hadera, swimmers warned

The warning comes after a fatal shark attack near Hadera in April 2025.

By World Israel News Staff

Sharks have been spotted along Israel’s Mediterranean coastline near the northern city of Hadera, prompting authorities to warn swimmers to keep their distance and avoid approaching the animals.

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) issued a public warning on Tuesday, urging people not to approach the sharks, attempt to photograph them at close range or touch them.

The authority called on the public to leave the animals undisturbed, emphasizing that sharks are protected wildlife in Israel and that harming or harassing them constitutes a criminal offense.

“Shark populations in the Mediterranean Sea have declined dramatically because of overfishing and accidental catches,” Yigal Ben Ari, head of the INPA’s Marine Unit, said in the press statement.

“In Israel, sharks are protected wildlife and play an important role in maintaining marine ecosystems. As predators, they reduce the number of weaker and slower animals in the ecosystem, thereby strengthening other species and the marine environment as a whole,” he added.

Sharks are regularly drawn to the waters near Hadera during the colder months, typically from November through the spring. The animals gather near the city’s power plant, where warm water discharged from the facility raises the temperature of the surrounding sea.

The sharks spotted along Israel’s northern coastline have been identified as dusky sharks and sandbar sharks.

Dusky sharks typically reach approximately three meters (10 feet) in length and weigh around 150 kilograms (330 pounds). Sandbar sharks are generally smaller, measuring approximately two meters (6.5 feet) and weighing around 70 kilograms (154 pounds).

Although shark sightings near Hadera are a recurring seasonal phenomenon, encounters can be dangerous, and authorities have repeatedly urged the public to maintain a safe distance.

In April 2025, an Israeli man was killed in a rare shark attack in the waters near Hadera. The victim was identified as Barak Tzach, a father of four from Petah Tikva and an avid snorkeler who had been attempting to film the sharks with his GoPro camera.