Israeli media reports that Muhammad Awad, a Nazareth resident, was indicted at the Nof HaGalil District Court on charges of attempting to enlist in Hamas and planning to harm National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir using a drone. The indictment alleges the plot was revenge for the murder of his friend, according to N12.
The indictment against Muhammad Awad, a 29-year-old Nazareth resident, was filed Thursday at the Nof HaGalil District Court, charging him with plotting to assassinate National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir using an explosive-laden drone. The filing follows his arrest earlier this month, as first reported by The Zioneer on July 21, when the Shin Bet and police detained Awad on suspicion of attempting to join Hamas and planning an attack on the minister.
As The Zioneer reported in a series of updates on July 21, the investigation uncovered that Awad had consumed Hamas incitement content after October 7, joined Telegram channels, and twice contacted the organization via email without receiving a response. The indictment specifies that the plot was motivated by revenge for the murder of his friend in June 2025. A search of his home yielded a weapon sight, ammunition, maps of strategic sites, an entry permit to an Iron Dome battery, and an IDF mission file on community security. Awad had been employed as an unarmed security guard at the Afula central bus station, according to earlier reports.
Following the indictment, Minister Ben Gvir stated on July 21 that this was the ninth attempt on his life and that the legal proceedings strengthen his resolve to pursue a hardline security policy, thanking the security agencies for foiling the plot.
The case remains open; further details are expected to emerge in court proceedings.
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