Police Raid Polygamy Rings in Southern Israel, Arrest Suspects

Israeli police conducted a large-scale operation in the southern Bedouin town of Bir Hadaj on Wednesday, targeting suspected polygamous marriages. Officers raided five compounds belonging to individuals suspected of maintaining multiple marital relationships. During the searches, investigators seized documents, marriage certificates, wedding photos, and mobile phones, which will be examined as part of the ongoing investigation. In one of the compounds, suspected hashish was also found.

Authorities suspect the five main individuals, of various ages, are married to a total of 15 women and have fathered 67 children collectively. Among those investigated is a 25-year-old man allegedly married to three women and father to eight children, and a 32-year-old man reportedly married to three women with nine children. Other suspects are also believed to have multiple wives and large families.

Approximately 10 individuals were detained for questioning and to provide testimony at the Southern District's Major Crimes Unit (Yamar) offices. Police stated that investigations are ongoing and further investigative actions are planned. Once completed, the case files will be transferred to the Southern District State Attorney's Office for review and potential legal proceedings.

A police spokesperson stated, "The Israel Police, and specifically the Southern District, are acting in a focused, systematic, and determined manner against the phenomenon of polygamous marriages and related offenses. As part of this, the polygamy division in Yamar South, established at the end of 2024 with the decision and funding of the National Security Ministry, in cooperation with the Israel Police, centralizes the police response to the issue in the south and works to prosecute those involved."