Israeli Police Unravel Murder of Senior Crime Figure Beni Shlomo

Four years after the assassination that shook Israel's crime world, the case of Beni Shlomo has been solved. New footage reveals details of the murder of the senior criminal, who had survived multiple previous assassination attempts. The investigation uncovered that Shlomo was lured to his death in a "red cloak" operation, designed to create a false sense of security before the attack.

Approximately 24 hours before the assassination, Shlomo and his associates met with several individuals at a gas station on Highway 44, a meeting captured on new footage. The following day, they returned to the same location for a similar meeting. During this second encounter, three masked assailants in a white Mazda opened fire on Shlomo and his bodyguard. Shlomo was shot eight times as he attempted to flee, with one gunman pursuing him.

Coincidentally present at the scene was then-young police officer Shaked Sari, who was off-duty. He pursued the assailants in his private motorcycle, firing at their vehicle when they were stopped in traffic. The suspects escaped the Mazda, commandeered a gray Hyundai, and fled. The Mazda contained gasoline cans, and a bloodstain was found in the Hyundai.

Four suspects identified with the Jarushi crime family were arrested that evening but were not injured. Investigators later identified an additional suspect, Hani Qashut, who was believed to be part of the hit squad and was wounded during the chase. He hid in the West Bank for about a year before moving to Ramat Gan, where intelligence led to his capture. His DNA matched the bloodstain in the getaway car.

In October 2023, Qashut was indicted and later convicted of aiding in the murder as part of a plea deal, receiving a nine-year prison sentence. Two other suspects were not prosecuted. Sari, reflecting on the event, stated he now always carries an extra magazine, a change prompted by the incident.