Three Brothers Kidnap Man Over Alleged Debt, Demand Ransom

Three brothers allegedly kidnapped a man they claimed owed their family 135,000 shekels, blindfolded him, threatened him with a weapon, and demanded ransom from his relatives. The victim was reportedly taken to a tent belonging to the Janabi tribe, where the brothers' father, Masad Astwi, allegedly beat him, threatened him, and fired shots at his legs. The kidnappers then moved the victim to a structure within the tribal encampment and contacted his family, threatening his life if the debt was not paid. They specifically called his sister, stating, "Your brother is our guest. He eats, he drinks, if you involve the police your brother will go." The father also called the victim's mother, demanding the money and stating, "If you don't pay the money, 135,000 shekels, you will take him from Abu Kabir." When the sister indicated she had no money, the father suggested she bring "tens of thousands of shekels in a bag" to a designated location.

A Negev police special forces unit, YAMAM, prepared for a rescue operation and successfully extracted the hostage from the structure without the ransom being paid. The victim was taken to the Ofakim police station, where he provided a statement. Two days after the release, police arrested the three brothers, their father, and several accomplices. Investigators collected DNA evidence from the vehicle used in the kidnapping and other locations within the tribal encampment. Security camera footage from the abduction site also became part of the investigation, along with items left behind by the suspects. The case file has been transferred to the Southern District Prosecutor's Office, which has prepared an indictment against the three brothers.