Israeli Arab Sentenced to 24.5 Years for Aiding Gaza Militants

The Beersheba Central Court on Wednesday sentenced Shhadeh Abu Alqian, an Israeli Arab citizen from the Negev, to 24 and a half years in prison. He was convicted of aiding the enemy during wartime and collaborating with an armed group from the Gaza Strip, in addition to gathering security information from within the Israeli military and smuggling weapons to the West Bank.

According to the Israeli prosecution, Abu Alqian confessed to the charges as part of a plea deal. He acted on behalf of the "Brigades of the Mujahideen" organization, providing them with information and photos of military sites and facilities within Israel. He also stole weapons from an Israeli soldier and transferred them to the West Bank for the group.

The case began in 2019 when Abu Alqian decided to seek revenge against Israel and harm its security after an administrative demolition order was issued for his father's home. In September of that year, he stole an M4 rifle, ammunition magazine, and laser sight from an Israeli soldier in the Yattir area, hiding them near his residence.

In 2021, Abu Alqian began communicating with militants from Gaza via social media and Telegram, expressing a desire to join Hamas's military wing. He later worked for the "Brigades of the Mujahideen," supplying them with intelligence on Israeli army bases, train stations, government companies, and shopping centers, and reporting troop and helicopter movements near his home.

In March 2022, a militant known as "Abu Suleiman" contacted him to purchase weapons. Abu Alqian offered to sell the stolen rifle and insisted on transporting it to the West Bank. In May 2022, with his cousin's help, he loaded the M4 rifle, thousands of rounds, and five hand grenades into a car and drove to the West Bank, where they hid the weapons for the organization.

Concurrently, Abu Alqian enlisted in the Israeli army on May 22, 2022, under his handler's instructions, to gather intelligence from within the military about Bedouin soldiers, bases, and sites. He was arrested by Israeli security forces about eight days later, thwarting his activities.

In December 2025, Abu Alqian was convicted after admitting to the amended indictment as part of the plea deal. His convictions included aiding the enemy during wartime, active membership in an armed organization, aggravated theft, weapons possession and smuggling, and using weapons for terrorist purposes.

During sentencing deliberations, the prosecution requested a lengthy prison sentence, suspended sentences, and a substantial fine, highlighting the severity of the relationship with the "Brigades of the Mujahideen," which they stated was involved in the deaths of the Bibas family during the Gaza war. The court, comprising Judges Daniel Ben Tolila, Tal Lahyani Shoham, and Yoav Attar, imposed the 24.5-year prison sentence, along with suspended sentences and a fine of 25,000 shekels.

Prosecutor Hovit Kantorovich of the Southern District stated that the defendant chose to act against Israel, communicate with an armed organization, and even enlist in the army to gather intelligence and harm state security. She added that Abu Alqian's details were referred to the Interior Minister for consideration of revoking his Israeli citizenship, emphasizing that the sentence reflects the gravity of his actions, the damage to national security, and the need for deterrence.