Binyamin (Ben) Hassin, an Israeli citizen who spent 11 years in a Kurdish prison under a death sentence, has been released and is expected to arrive in Israel shortly, according to reports.
The Zioneer reported Wednesday evening (Sep 16, 16:06 Jerusalem) that Binyamin (Ben) Hassin, an Israeli citizen, had been released from an Iraqi prison after 11 years under a death sentence and was en route to Israel. Early Thursday morning, new reports clarified that Hassin was held in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and confirmed he is expected to arrive in Israel shortly.
The Zioneer's initial reports on Wednesday identified Hassin as an Israeli citizen imprisoned in Iraq for 11 years. Subsequent reports that same afternoon revealed his identity as Binyamin Hassin, a native of Iraqi Kurdistan, and detailed that his death sentence, handed down in 2020, was commuted following a reconciliation (sulha) with the family of a driver who died in a 2015 incident, which included a $250,000 payment. The reports further stated that Hassin was en route to Israel.
As The Zioneer reported, Hassin was born in Iraqi Kurdistan and was sentenced to death in 2020. The commutation of his sentence followed a sulha reached in November 2025 with the victim's family.
The exact circumstances of Hassin's release and his current location remain unconfirmed.
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