Teenagers Sentenced for Brutal Murder of Pregnant Sister
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Two teenage relatives were sentenced for the 2023 murder of Aya Abu Hajjaj, who was stabbed 20 times in front of her children. Her half-brother received 22 years, and her cousin received 17 years. Their father was sentenced to 15 years for aiding the murder. The court also ordered over 300,000 shekels in compensation for the victim's children.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Two teenage relatives sentenced for the 2023 murder of Aya Abu Hajjaj.
- Half-brother received 22 years, cousin received 17 years for aggravated joint murder.
- Victim's father sentenced to 15 years for aiding and abetting the murder.
- The murder occurred in front of Abu Hajjaj's two young children.
- Defendants ordered to pay over 300,000 shekels in compensation to the children.
A court has sentenced two teenage relatives to lengthy prison terms for the brutal murder of Aya Abu Hajjaj, who was stabbed to death in 2023 while pregnant and in front of her young children. Her half-brother, who was about 14.5 years old at the time of the murder, was convicted of aggravated joint murder and other offenses, and sentenced to 22 years in prison. Her cousin, who was about 15.5 years old, was sentenced to 17 years for the same crimes. The victim's father was convicted of aiding and abetting the murder and other offenses, receiving a 15-year sentence. The court also ordered the defendants to pay over 300,000 shekels in compensation to Abu Hajjaj's children.
The indictment revealed that the murder stemmed from Abu Hajjaj's refusal to return to live with her father and his family in Hura, a decision supported by her sisters. The two minors, masked and armed with a knife, ambushed her outside her home at night. In the morning, as she left with her four and five-year-old children for kindergarten, her half-brother emerged from a vehicle, attacked her, and stabbed her approximately 20 times over 20 minutes, even as she tried to defend herself and lay on the ground. Medical efforts to save her and her unborn child were unsuccessful.
The father was also accused in a prior incident of severely assaulting Aya in her yard.
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