A serious indictment was filed Thursday against Muhammad Awad, a resident of Nazareth, following a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and Israel Police.
According to the indictment, following the fatal shooting of his friend, 25-year-old Tawfiq Abu Lashin, in Nazareth more than a year ago, Awad decided to target National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in an attempt to force him from office.
Awad viewed Ben Gvir as responsible for the escalation of crime and violence in the Arab sector and for harming Israel's Muslim population. He therefore planned to assassinate the minister using either an explosive drone or a remotely guided missile.
According to the indictment, in March 2026 Awad contacted the Hamas terrorist organization in an attempt to obtain resources to carry out the attack, but his request was rejected.
"Over the past two years, and in order to advance his activity on behalf of Hamas, the defendant studied missiles, how they operate, and their detonation mechanisms using various online sources," it added. "The defendant watched videos explaining the structure of ballistic missiles, the materials they contain, and how they function, as well as videos demonstrating how to build an object with a similar detonation mechanism. He searched online to learn how a ballistic missile's detonation system works, how ballistic missiles fly and explode, and the composition of materials that cause an explosion when the missile hits the ground. Some of these online searches were conducted while concealing his browsing history in order to hide his activities."
"The defendant, knowing that the minister lives in the Hebron area, planned to target him by building an explosive drone that would track him and detonate nearby, or by constructing a guided missile with a remote-control mechanism. To carry out his plan, the defendant designed models of both a drone and a missile and searched online for the materials needed to build them.
"At some point, the defendant realized he lacked the means necessary for this and therefore abandoned the attempt to construct the model, but continued searching for information and watching videos on the subject online."
Awad's attorney from the Public Defender's Office, Nizar Aboud, said in response, "The defendant suffers from complex medical conditions. His rehabilitation and treatment should take precedence over punishment. This is not a case for imprisonment, but for a therapeutic framework."