Ex-Soroka Doctor Sentenced to 27 Months for ISIS Membership

A Beer Sheva Magistrate's Court has sentenced Dr. Mohammed Azzam, a former doctor at Soroka Hospital, to 27 months in prison for membership in the ISIS terror organization. The court found that after the October 7th Hamas attack, Azzam swore allegiance to ISIS's leader and possessed manuals for creating explosives and poisons. During the war, he also wished death upon a wounded soldier he was treating.

The ruling, delivered by Judge Shosh Shitrit, concluded a lengthy trial. Azzam, an Israeli citizen born in 1990, underwent a decade-long radicalization process, systematically consuming ISIS content, including combat videos and execution footage, from 2014 until his arrest in July 2024. The court determined his actions were not mere curiosity but a systematic effort to develop operational capabilities.

During the October 7th massacre, Azzam expressed joy and shared horrific videos of Hamas atrocities with an extremist in Germany. In a particularly egregious instance, he wished death upon a wounded IDF soldier brought to the emergency room where he worked, a fact the judge considered a severe aggravating circumstance given his professional duty to care for patients.

Following the October 7th attack, Azzam swore allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, solidifying his membership in the terror group. Investigators discovered numerous files on his devices detailing the creation of explosives and poisons, stored in organized folders and protected by passwords.

Despite initially denying most charges, Azzam later admitted to his confessions during interrogation and his oath of allegiance. His defense argued for passive membership without intent to carry out attacks, but the court rejected this, citing the severity of his actions and the potential risk he posed, especially given his access to wounded soldiers and civilians. The Shin Bet assessed him as a high-risk individual who might have proceeded to physical terror activity if not apprehended.

In addition to the prison sentence, Azzam received a 12-month suspended sentence and a fine of 15,000 shekels. He is to report to Dekel Prison on November 8th. Prosecutors are also forwarding his details to the Ministry of Health for consideration of revoking his medical license.