Jerusalem Man Charged After Fatal Illegal Immigrant Smuggling Crash

The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office filed charges against Muhammad Khalisi for causing the deaths of two illegal immigrants he was smuggling into Israel. On August 9, 2026, Khalisi, who did not have a driver's license, agreed with an accomplice to transport illegal immigrants into Israel for 400 shekels. He drove a decommissioned vehicle with three illegal immigrants hidden in the trunk. When stopped at the Ring Road checkpoint and asked to open the trunk, Khalisi accelerated to evade inspection and sped toward Jerusalem on Highway 1. While driving recklessly, he lost control, crashed into a guardrail and another vehicle, causing the trunk to open and the passengers to be violently ejected onto the road and nearby wadi. Two passengers died instantly, and the third was seriously injured and required multiple surgeries. The other vehicle's driver sustained minor injuries. Khalisi fled the scene on foot without providing assistance or calling for help but was arrested the next day. The indictment includes charges of negligent homicide, illegal transportation, serious injury, and leaving the scene of an accident.