According to the verdict, the defendants conspired together to carry out a terrorist attack aimed at murdering Jewish civilians. For this purpose, they had previously equipped themselves with a vehicle, an improvised submachine gun, ammunition, knives, and an axe, changed the vehicle’s license plates, and entered Israel illegally. Upon reaching the Romema neighborhood in Jerusalem, they identified four Haredi civilians, accelerated their vehicle towards them, and struck them. They then attempted to shoot and stab them, but failed to complete their plan due to a malfunction in the weapon.
In its sentencing arguments, the Jerusalem District Prosecutor’s Office, represented by Adv. Moria Hirsh, requested that each of the defendants be sentenced to 37 years of actual imprisonment, along with suspended sentences and significant compensation to the victims of the offense.
The prosecution emphasized that this was an exceptionally severe and planned terrorist incident, characterized by high determination, multiple weapons, and real lethal potential, and that the fact that the incident ended without loss of life was due to a miracle alone. The prosecution further argued that although one of the defendants was a minor at the time of the offenses and the other was a young adult, the age circumstances do not mitigate the severity of the acts, and that in the circumstances, a deterrent and clear sentencing message is required, especially in light of the fact that the attack was carried out in the midst of a war.
The court, as stated, sentenced each of the defendants to 28 years of actual imprisonment, suspended sentences, and financial compensation to the victims of the offense. Additionally, it ordered the confiscation of the means used to carry out the attack. The court noted that “the defendants committed their acts during wartime on multiple fronts while the country was bleeding and hurting from the results of the October 7th terrorist attack, and security forces were working day and night to defend the country’s borders.
This murderous attack demonstrated to the country – and to the entire world – in the most painful way, the meaning of terror and the need to combat it with all tools, including legal ones.”
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