The Israel Police and Shin Bet announced Tuesday the arrest of Muhammad Awad, 29, a Nazareth resident, on suspicion of attempting to enlist in the Hamas terror organization and planning an attack on a sitting minister. The joint statement said the investigation led to an indictment being filed in the Nazareth district court.
The Northern District Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment Tuesday against Muhammad Awad, 29, a Nazareth resident, on charges of attempting to enlist in the Hamas terror organization and planning an attack on a sitting minister. The joint statement from the Israel Police and Shin Bet, released in the early afternoon, identified Awad and said he had contacted Hamas to obtain resources for the attack. The indictment, submitted to the Nazareth district court, formalizes the case that has been unfolding throughout the day.
Initial reports at 13:31 Jerusalem indicated that the suspect was a 29-year-old Nazareth resident who worked as an unarmed security guard at the Afula central bus station. The Shin Bet confirmed the arrest and stated that the suspect had attempted to join Hamas and was planning to harm National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The identification of the minister as the target was corroborated in subsequent reports. The Zioneer has tracked the story from the first media reports to the official confirmation and now the indictment.
The case is part of a broader pattern of Israeli citizens suspected of terror activity; The Zioneer reported on June 8 that an 18-year-old from I'billin was arrested for planning an attack on a Jewish settlement. In the current case, the suspect's employment as a security guard at a public transport hub has raised concerns about the vetting of such positions.
It remains unclear what specific method of attack was planned, whether the suspect had any accomplices, or how far the plot had progressed. The investigation is ongoing, and further details may emerge as the legal proceedings advance.
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