Man Sentenced to Life for Brutal Murder Witnessed by Daughter

A man identified as Nidal Dagher has been sentenced to life imprisonment plus two years for the aggravated murder of Rasha Sitawi in her home in Majar in 2021. The court also convicted Dagher of child abuse for committing the murder in front of Sitawi's 10-year-old daughter. Dagher had planned the murder, using a scooter without a license plate and a handgun to shoot Sitawi at close range. The court emphasized that the murder witnessed by the child constituted a separate act of severe psychological abuse, warranting additional punishment beyond the mandatory life sentence.

In addition to the prison sentences, Dagher was ordered to pay NIS 258,000 in compensation to the victim's family. Of this amount, NIS 100,000 was allocated to the daughter who witnessed the murder, another NIS 100,000 to Sitawi's two other minor children, and the remainder was divided among her six siblings. The court stipulated that the compensation for the minors would be held in a dedicated account until they reach adulthood, with provisions for early withdrawal to fund psychological treatment.

The motive for the murder remains unclear. Police initially suspected a contract killing but could not gather sufficient evidence to prove it. Dagher has a prior conviction from 2017 for arms trafficking, for which he served 14 months in prison.

Following the sentencing, Tawfiq Sitawi, Rasha's cousin, expressed shock, stating, "She was murdered in cold blood right inside the house while she was living her normal life with the children. She was a very quiet girl. We have no background. We received the news shockingly, precisely on the day commemorating the fight against violence against women. We are in shock and trust the police to do their job."