Israeli Border Police Officer Charged with Fatally Shooting Comrade During Sukkot Holiday

The Israeli Supreme Court approved the publication of the name of Border Police officer Hananel Sabag, who is accused of fatally shooting his fellow soldier Yosef Chaim Raboch on the eve of the recent Sukkot holiday. The indictment filed by the Military Police Investigations Unit (Mahash) charges Sabag with negligent homicide, reckless and negligent use of a weapon, illegal possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault related to other incidents.

According to the indictment, Raboch arrived at Sabag's home in Kiryat Arba with his fiancée and greeted him, to which Sabag responded before aiming his weapon and shooting Raboch in the upper torso. The indictment includes ten additional counts describing a pattern of dangerous and reckless firearm use by Sabag, including unauthorized shooting in open areas, handling weapons improperly at the base and elsewhere, illegal possession of firearms, and unjustified assaults on detainees during his service. Some of these acts were recorded on video, which Mahash stated demonstrate a persistent pattern of weapon misuse and abusive behavior.

Raboch's fiancée, Roni, testified that Sabag frequently played with his weapon, sometimes even stepping on it. Initial theories suggested the fatal shot was accidental during a "gun demonstration," but testimonies and Sabag's initial statement indicate the shooting occurred after Raboch jokingly mimed firing a gun with his fingers. Raboch, son of Rabbi Eliyahu and Rachel Raboch, lived in Kiryat Arba, studied at the Amit Religious-Technological High School in Jerusalem, and was a member of Israel's national youth taekwondo team, later coaching at a local club.

Raboch's family made an unusual request to Mahash to release Sabag from custody to attend the funeral so they could be together in the final moments, but the request was denied. The day after the shooting, Raboch's father told Sabag's father that he forgave him.