The Be'er Sheva District Court sentenced Shahada Abu al-Qi'an, a resident of the Bedouin communities in the Negev, to 24 and a half years in prison on Wednesday after he was convicted, as part of a plea agreement, of assisting the enemy during wartime, active membership in a terrorist organization, and additional weapons offenses.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a suspended sentence and a fine of NIS 25,000.
According to the indictment, Abu al-Qi'an decided in 2019 to take revenge against the State of Israel and harm its security after an administrative demolition order was issued for his father's home.
In September of that year, he stole an M4 assault rifle, a magazine, and a laser sight from an IDF soldier in the Yatir area and buried them in the ground near his home.
According to the indictment, his contact with terrorist operatives in the Gaza Strip began in 2021.
Through social media and the Telegram messaging application, Abu al-Qi'an expressed support for the struggle against Israel and sought to join Hamas's military wing. He subsequently began operating on behalf of the terrorist organization Kataib al-Mujahideen.
As part of his activities, he provided his handlers with information and photographs of IDF bases, railway stations, government-owned companies, and shopping centers. He also reported on the movements of soldiers and helicopters in the area where he lived.
In March 2022, an operative from the organization known as "Abu Suleiman" contacted him and sought to purchase weapons.
Abu al-Qi'an offered to sell him the weapon he had stolen from the IDF and insisted that the weapons be transferred directly to Judea and Samaria.
Approximately two months later, Abu al-Qi'an recruited his cousin to assist him in the mission.
The two loaded an M4 rifle, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and five hand grenades into a vehicle, drove to Judea and Samaria, and placed the weapons in a hiding place for the terrorist organization.
At the same time, and on his handler's instructions, Abu al-Qi'an enlisted in the IDF on May 22, 2022.
According to the indictment, the purpose of his enlistment was to gather information from within the military about Bedouin soldiers, military bases, and military locations, and pass it on to the terrorist organization.
Eight days after his enlistment, he was arrested by security forces, bringing his activities to an end.
In December 2025, Abu al-Qi'an admitted to the charges in the amended indictment and was convicted under a plea agreement of assisting the enemy during wartime, active membership in a terrorist organization, aggravated theft, carrying and transporting weapons, and using weapons for terrorist purposes.
During the sentencing arguments, the prosecution requested a lengthy prison term, suspended sentences, and a substantial financial fine.
The prosecution emphasized, among other things, his ties to Kataib al-Mujahideen, which it said was involved in the murder of members of the Bibas family during the Swords of Iron War.
The panel of judges, Daniel Ben Tolila, Tal Lahiani Shoham, and Yoav Atar, sentenced him to 24 and a half years in prison, along with a suspended sentence and a fine of NIS 25,000.
Attorney Hofit Kantarovitz, who handled the case on behalf of the Southern District Attorney's Office, described the case following the hearing as "exceptionally serious."
"A citizen of the State of Israel chose to act against it, maintain contact with a terrorist organization, and even enlist in the IDF on behalf of a terrorist organization, with the aim of gathering information from within the IDF and harming the security of the state," she said.
Kantarovitz added that, alongside the criminal proceedings, Abu al-Qi'an's details had been forwarded to the Interior Minister for consideration of revoking his citizenship.
"The State Attorney's Office will continue working to ensure that those who choose to act on behalf of and assist terrorist organizations, and endanger the security of the state, its soldiers, and its citizens, are held fully accountable under the law," she stated.