Omani Pilot Interrogated Over Hijacking Attempt, Cites Gaza Revenge

Israel's Shin Bet security agency has sent personnel to the UAE to interrogate Omani pilot Muhammad al-Hamami, who attempted to hijack a Flydubai aircraft. Local sources report that al-Hamami stated during questioning that his motive was "revenge for the genocide in Gaza." He claimed the situation in Gaza "pushed him to hijack the plane" and that he "wanted to die as a martyr."

Investigators believe al-Hamami planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport, with a U.S. military base in Jordan as a backup target. Saudi Arabian and UAE investigators are examining his phone for clues about his motives, intentions, and potential connections, checking if he was recruited during recent visits to countries hostile to Israel. Israeli authorities are also working to determine if he acted alone or received instructions.

UAE authorities questioned the flight attendants, who stated they were disoriented and unaware of al-Hamami's plan or assisted him. Israeli interrogators were not permitted to question the crew. It was previously revealed that al-Hamami began planning the attack before joining Flydubai and specifically chose the airline for its flights to Tel Aviv. He had intended to hijack a plane during a previous flight to Israel in the summer but abandoned the plan because a friend was on board.

Al-Hamami reportedly said his "dream was to crash into the airport." Meanwhile, an Israeli investigation into the incident has uncovered significant security flaws in civil aviation. A state comptroller's report from 2024 highlighted outdated aviation security regulations, some dating back to the 1970s, and called for thorough vetting of foreign airlines flying to and from Israel, as well as clearer inter-agency responsibility for air travel security. Much of the comptroller's report was classified by a Knesset committee due to the sensitive nature of the topic.