Israeli Man Freed From Iraqi Prison After Decade, Returns Home

Benjamin Ben Limor, an Israeli who spent over a decade imprisoned in Iraq, has been released and is expected to return to Israel in the coming days. His release was secured following a legal agreement reached at the end of 2025, which led to the cancellation of a death sentence by hanging imposed on him in 2020.

Ben Limor's ordeal began in 2014 when he traveled to visit his grandfather in Iraqi Kurdistan during a peak ISIS offensive. He reportedly assisted local defense efforts against the terrorist organization. The following year, he was ambushed by a taxi driver who, upon hearing Ben Limor speak Hebrew, threatened to hand him over to ISIS.

During a struggle that ensued, the taxi driver was fatally wounded and died from his injuries. This led to Ben Limor's immediate arrest, extensive interrogations, and a death sentence from a local court. The legal agreement that ultimately secured his release was finalized at the end of 2025.

Upon his return to Israel, Ben Limor is scheduled to be integrated into the "Ash ha-Torah" yeshiva in Jerusalem's Old City. This initiative, supported by activists and individuals who followed his case, will focus on his rehabilitation and acclimatization, addressing his basic needs, providing clothing and religious items, and facilitating his gradual integration into a religious framework.