The Beersheba Magistrate’s Court has convicted Dr. Mohammad Azzam, a former physician at Soroka Medical Center, of membership in the ISIS terrorist organization, following what the court described as a prolonged process of radicalization.
According to the indictment submitted by attorneys Hofit Kantrovitz and Tehila Niddam of the Southern District Prosecutor’s Office, Azzam began consuming ISIS propaganda and extremist materials in 2014. Prosecutors said that following the October 7 massacre and the outbreak of the war, he formally adopted the organization’s ideology and pledged allegiance to ISIS.
The investigation found that Azzam circulated footage from the massacre among acquaintances while expressing support for the massacre and contempt toward the State of Israel. Authorities also discovered that during 2024 he downloaded manuals detailing the preparation of explosives and toxic substances.
In a significant legal determination, the judge ruled that direct communication with official ISIS operatives was not required in order to establish membership in the organization. The court held that Azzam followed the group’s online “joining protocol," which encourages supporters to operate independently as “lone wolves" inspired by ISIS ideology without formal command structures.
The ruling stressed the severity of the case in light of Azzam’s position as a physician. The judge warned that his access to civilians and soldiers through his work at the hospital, combined with the extremist views he expressed, created a substantial security threat and could potentially have led to violent action had he not been arrested.