Israeli Man Arrested for Planning Bombing and Shooting Attack at Beersheba Nightclub

Abdallah Gargawi, a 20-year-old resident of Segev Shalom, has been indicted for planning a terrorist attack at the Forum nightclub in Beersheba and for maintaining contacts with ISIS operatives. According to his interrogation by the Southern District Police and the Shin Bet, Gargawi intended to detonate explosives at the club during peak hours, targeting both Jewish and Arab patrons. He also planned a subsequent shooting attack following the bombing.

Gargawi revealed that before Ramadan 2026, he researched bomb-making on YouTube and attempted to acquire materials such as agricultural lime, sulfur, and charcoal. When he failed to obtain sulfur, he tried to use matchstick heads instead. He conducted experiments with these materials in his grandfather's concrete yard, which produced sparks and smoke.

The indictment states that Gargawi began consuming ISIS-related content online in 2022 and gradually established connections with supporters of the group. In the months leading up to his arrest, he joined a small Signal app group discussing jihad and events in Israel, which he deleted after the group was disbanded to cover his tracks. He also communicated with ISIS supporters in Syria, seeking guidance on how to travel there and join the fighting, receiving instructions on possible routes through Jordan or Turkey. Additionally, he was in contact with another operative who suggested traveling to Yemen or Afghanistan for operational involvement.

Simultaneously, Gargawi developed a plan to carry out a car bombing near the Forum nightclub by remotely detonating explosives inside a vehicle packed with bombs while hundreds of clubgoers were present. The indictment also accuses him of illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, including an M-16 replica rifle, magazines, and bullets held for a relative, as well as various firearms such as MAG machine guns, Negev machine guns, and Kalashnikov rifles held for another individual during 2025.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Shin Bet and the Southern District Police. The charges against Gargawi include contact with a foreign agent, providing services or resources to a terrorist organization, preparing for a terrorist act, training for terrorism, and weapons offenses.