Driver Suspected of Fatally Striking Teen Released to House Arrest

A 21-year-old driver from Kafr Manda, Mahmoud Samhat, suspected of fatally striking 17-year-old Amihai Attia in a parking lot in Hadera the night before Yom Kippur, has been released to house arrest until October 1. The Hadera Magistrate's Court ruled that Samhat did not deny causing Attia's death but claimed he fled a mob intending to lynch him, and did not notice he had hit someone. Judge Ehud Kaplan stated that Samhat's actions did not constitute leaving the scene of an accident, and at most, it was negligence, "not at a high level," given he was fleeing people who sought to "execute him." The judge further suggested that those pursuing Samhat were primarily responsible for the tragic outcome, though Samhat might also bear some responsibility to be determined later.

Samhat's attorney, Yousef Shlaby, stated that his client was fleeing a mob of dozens at the mall who intended to lynch and shoot him. He expressed relief at the house arrest decision while noting the investigation continues.

Amihai Attia, a student from Itamar, was killed in the parking lot of the "Ha'Hof Village" shopping complex in Hadera during a mass Selichot prayer service. Samhat claimed during questioning that he felt his life was in danger and fled the scene at high speed. A 23-year-old member of a local neighborhood watch group shot at Samhat, lightly wounding him.

Samhat's mother told Ynet that her son was a victim of incitement, having been educated to love others, and was nearly lynched. She stated he was shot because he was mistaken for a terrorist, and he fled while stones were thrown at him, narrowly escaping. His father described his son as a quiet individual working in vegetable delivery, who felt threatened by youths at the scene, leading to an unintentional collision, after which shots were fired at him. He appealed for an end to incitement against his son.