Terrorist Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Israeli Soldier

A military court has sentenced Nad'mi Abu-Bakar, the terrorist who murdered Sergeant First Class Amit Ben Yigal in May 2020, to life imprisonment and ordered him to pay over 4 million shekels in compensation. The sentencing comes more than six and a half years after the fatal incident, which occurred during an operational activity in the village of Ya'bad in Samaria. Abu-Bakar was convicted in May of causing death with intent, the equivalent of murder in Judea and Samaria, and obstruction of justice.

According to the indictment, on May 12, 2020, Abu-Bakar threw a half-brick weighing 9 to 11 kilograms from a rooftop onto IDF soldiers operating in the area during an arrest operation. The heavy object struck Sergeant First Class Amit Ben Yigal, killing him instantly. After the attack, the terrorist fled to his apartment and feigned sleep to evade capture. He later returned to the scene, collected the brick fragments, and discarded them to conceal evidence and hinder the investigation.

During the legal proceedings, the defense requested to exhume Amit Ben Yigal's body to examine his blood-stained helmet, arguing it might prove the brick could not have caused such fatal injuries. The prosecution stated that the military will continue to prosecute those who harm national security and IDF soldiers, and that the army is supporting the bereaved family.

Amit Ben Yigal, an only child, was a combat soldier in the Golani Brigade's reconnaissance unit. His father, Baruch Ben Yigal, remarried three years ago and had another son last year. He expressed that telling Amit about his new brother brought a sense of closure. Previously, a dispute arose over the demolition of the terrorist's home, with the Supreme Court ultimately ordering only the room where Abu-Bakar lived to be sealed, not the entire apartment.