"Possibility of Revoking Citizenship Being Considered": 25 Years in Prison for Negev Bedouin Resident Who Operated on Behalf of a Terror Organization from Gaza
The Be'er Sheva District Court sentenced Shahada Abu al-Qi'an, a resident of the Bedouin diaspora, to 24.5 years in prison for aiding the enemy during war and terrorism offenses. He acted on behalf of a terror organization from the Gaza Strip, stole a weapon from an IDF soldier, enlisted in the IDF at the instruction of his handlers to gather intelligence, and transferred weapons to Judea and Samaria. The possibility of revoking his citizenship is being examined.
The Be'er Sheva District Court sentenced Shahada Abu al-Qi'an, a resident of the Bedouin diaspora in the Negev, to 24.5 years in prison as part of a plea deal for aiding the enemy during war, membership in a terror organization, theft, and weapons offenses. According to the indictment, in 2019, after a demolition order was issued for his father's house, he decided to take revenge on the state. He stole an M4 rifle from a soldier in the Yatir area. Starting in 2021, he made contact with terror operatives from Gaza, expressed support for the struggle against Israel, and sought to join Hamas. He later operated on behalf of the organization "Kata'ib al-Mujahideen," passing information about IDF bases, train stations, and shopping centers, and reporting on troop and helicopter movements. In March 2022, he contacted an operative in the organization named "Abu Suleiman" to sell the stolen weapon. In May 2022, he recruited his cousin, loaded a rifle, thousands of bullets, and five grenades, and transferred them to Judea and Samaria. At the instruction of his handler, he enlisted in the IDF on May 22, 2022, to gather information about Bedouin soldiers and bases, and was arrested eight days later. In December 2025, he confessed and was convicted. The prosecution sought a severe sentence, and the judges imposed 24.5 years in prison, a suspended sentence, and a fine of 25,000 shekels. Attorney Chofit Kantrovich from the prosecution stated that this is an exceptionally severe case, and the defendant's details were forwarded to the Interior Minister for consideration of revoking his citizenship.