Israeli Police Indict Three for Revenge Killing Despite Surveillance

The Haifa District Prosecutor's Office filed a serious indictment on Monday against three men from northern and southern Israel: Karam Gabarin, 42, from Mushirfa; Said Al-Sayed, 23, from the Al-Sayed tribe in the Negev; and a 17-year-old minor from Umm al-Fahm. They are charged with the premeditated murder of Muhammad Mahamid under aggravating circumstances, along with weapons offenses, aggravated assault, arson, evidence destruction, and obstruction of justice.

The indictment reveals that police had been monitoring the suspects, fearing they intended to avenge the murder of Gabarin's wife, Noor, who was killed in August 2025 after Mahamid's brother was prosecuted for involvement in her death. Despite surveillance, the suspects executed the killing on July 5, 2026, in Umm al-Fahm. Wiretap recordings captured the planning and execution, including preparations such as scouting the area, acquiring ammunition for a Kalashnikov rifle, and modifying the getaway vehicle by removing license plates and tinting windows.

On the day of the murder, Gabarin and Al-Sayed waited armed near Abu Nadim bakery, where Mahamid was shot at close range at least nine times in the back, injuring a nearby commercial driver. The minor waited in the getaway car, communicating readiness via phone. Post-shooting recordings captured the suspects calmly recounting the event and making chilling remarks.

Forensic evidence linked the suspects to the crime scene, including DNA on soda cans and disposable cups found in the getaway car, fingerprints on the vehicle's windows, and the discovery of the burnt Kalashnikov rifle in a torched car near Ar'ara. Police also found that the crime scene had been washed to destroy evidence. The suspects were arrested after a manhunt: Gabarin in a safe house in Haifa, and the others at a gas station on Highway 6 while fleeing south. The suspects had also repainted the getaway car to conceal evidence, but the extensive evidence led to the indictment and a request to detain them until trial.