Terrorist Sentenced to Life for Killing IDF Sergeant Amit Ben Yigal

According to the ruling, Abu Bakr threw a concrete block weighing between nine and eleven kilograms from a rooftop at IDF soldiers with the intent to kill, fatally striking Ben Yigal. Following the attack, Abu Bakr fled to his home, lay down in his children's room, and feigned sleep to evade capture. After security forces departed, he returned to the scene, collected the fragments of the block, and discarded them in roadside bushes to obstruct the investigation.

Abu Bakr was convicted on May 11, 2026, of causing death with intent, the equivalent of murder in Judea and Samaria, and obstruction of justice. During the six-year legal process, which spanned 85 court sessions, the defense requested to exhume Ben Yigal's body to examine his helmet, arguing the brick could not have caused the fatal injuries, but the request was denied. Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups claimed Abu Bakr was tortured and denied fair trial rights, while he has consistently denied the charges.

Following the sentencing on Thursday, October 8, 2026, the fallen soldier's father, Baruch Ben Yigal, expressed relief that justice was served, though he noted that no prison sentence could bring his son back. The military prosecution and the IDF vowed to continue pursuing justice against anyone who threatens national security or harms Israeli soldiers.