Israeli Man Sentenced to Death in Iraq Freed After Years of Effort

Benjamin Ben Limor, an Israeli man sentenced to death in Iraq, has been released from prison and is expected to arrive in Israel in the coming days. His release follows years of international efforts, diplomatic negotiations, and a global campaign to secure his freedom.

A significant turning point occurred in late 2025 when his death sentence was commuted as part of a reconciliation agreement in Iraq. This commutation was aided by an international prisoner redemption campaign that raised funds to cover the substantial costs associated with the settlement.

Ben Limor's ordeal began in 2014 when he visited his elderly grandparents in Iraqi Kurdistan during the rise of ISIS. He reportedly joined local residents in defense efforts against the terrorists. In 2015, he was allegedly ambushed by a taxi driver who recognized he spoke Hebrew and threatened to hand him over to ISIS militants. During a subsequent struggle, the driver was injured and later died, leading to Ben Limor's arrest, alleged torture, and eventual conviction.

In 2020, a Kurdish court sentenced him to death by hanging. Now, with his release, he is set to begin a new chapter in Israel. He has been accepted to study at the Aish HaTorah yeshiva in Jerusalem's Old City and will undergo a rehabilitation process to address his basic needs after his long imprisonment.

Jewish communities worldwide are being called upon to continue praying for Ben Limor as the final stages of his return to Israel are underway.