The amended indictment, filed by Adv. Tehila Nidam from the Southern District Attorney’s Office, in which the defendants confessed, states that on 8.10.23, the three traveled to the area of the “Nova” party, where at least 347 civilians and 17 police officers were murdered the day before.
Since it was a closed military zone, Yaakovov claimed he lived in a nearby moshav, thereby enabling their entry into the compound. Upon arriving in the area, the defendants began to patrol the site with the aim of locating and stealing property. Among other things, they entered an abandoned caravan, abandoned vehicles, and attempted to open car trunks. During their actions, they took, among other things, a laptop, credit cards, identity cards, and other property belonging to victims murdered at the party, as well as property of people who fled the scene.
Be’er Sheva Magistrate’s Court Judge Shosh Shitrit convicted the defendants based on their confession of offenses including entering a military area, obstructing a police officer, breaking into a vehicle with intent to commit theft, attempted vehicle break-in, and theft. In addition, Ruham was also convicted of possession of a drug for personal use, after drugs were found in his home.
In the sentencing arguments, Adv. Nidam argued that the defendants’ actions contradict every basic social norm in human society, and that they demonstrate a crossing of moral boundaries, a breakdown of values, a trampling of human compassion, and a willingness to exploit the distress of others for personal gain. She further stated that their actions harmed the dignity of the “Nova” party participants, disgraced and desecrated the memory of the murdered, while bodies were still present in the nearby killing zones.
In the verdict, Judge Shitrit stated: “The immense joy of life that was abruptly cut short at the ‘Nova’ festival on October 7, 2023, has become a tragic symbol of national loss. Alongside the unimaginable horrors of murder, abuse, and abduction, another incomprehensible phenomenon was revealed – internal looting by the country’s citizens.” She further stated that “the defendants’ behavior reflects shallow and unforgivable extreme opportunism, which operated under the cover of the chaos of a murderous terror attack, and demonstrates how a national crisis can serve as a platform for normative disintegration.” And furthermore, “looting in the circumstances described in the indictment is not merely a criminal property offense; it is a complete betrayal of human dignity and basic social solidarity.”
In light of the foregoing, Be’er Sheva Magistrate’s Court Judge Shosh Shitrit sentenced Liran Yaakovov to 36 months imprisonment, and a suspended sentence; Natanel Aviv to 38 months imprisonment; and Oz Hai Rahum to 40 months imprisonment. In addition, each of the defendants was fined NIS 18,000.
Related Topics
