Life sentence for murderer of woman in front of her daughter: "Devastating and immeasurable consequences for her soul"
The Nazareth-Nof HaGalil District Court sentenced Nidal Dager, 37, to life imprisonment for the murder of Rasha Sitawi, 35, from Mughar, in front of her 10.5-year-old daughter. An additional 4 years were imposed, with 2 years cumulative, and compensation of 258,000 shekels to her children. Dager was also convicted of child abuse, obstruction of justice, and traffic offenses.
The Nazareth-Nof HaGalil District Court yesterday (Tuesday) sentenced Nidal Dager, 37, to life imprisonment for the aggravated murder of Rasha Sitawi, a 35-year-old resident of Mughar. Alongside the life sentence, he received an additional 4 years in prison, of which 2 years are cumulative and 2 concurrent, for additional offenses: child abuse, obstruction of justice, and serious traffic offenses. The court imposed the maximum compensation allowed by law – 258,000 shekels – to be transferred to her minor children and the victim's brother. The murder occurred on November 25, 2021. Dager arrived at Sitawi's home, a beauty salon owner and mother of three, wearing a helmet and armed with a pistol. Her minor daughter, aged 10.5, was at home at the time. In a desperate attempt to save her life, Sitawi tried to flee and hide behind her daughter. Dager approached and shot her once in the head from less than two meters away, and after she collapsed, fired two more bullets from less than a meter away. After the murder, he fled, hid the scooter, and disposed of the weapon, helmet, and coat; he was arrested a week later when he returned to retrieve the scooter. The central legal issue was whether to impose a separate and cumulative sentence for child abuse. His defense argued that the act was "absorbed" within the murder conviction, but the prosecution insisted on separate punishment due to the deep psychological harm to the minor. The panel of judges accepted the prosecution's position, ruling that it was a separate act warranting cumulative punishment, while emphasizing the devastating consequences on the soul of the girl who witnessed her mother's murder.