The Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court sentenced Dr. Mohammed Azzam, a physician who worked at Soroka Hospital, to 27 months in prison after he was convicted of membership in the ISIS terrorist organization.
According to the sentencing decision, the doctor pledged allegiance to the organization's leader following the October 7 attack, possessed manuals for preparing explosives and poisons, and even wished for the death of a wounded IDF soldier who arrived for treatment at the hospital where he worked.
The sentence was handed down yesterday (Sunday) by Judge Shosh Shitrit, following a lengthy trial conducted by attorneys Hofit Kantarovitz and Tehila Nidam of the Southern District Attorney's Office.
According to the verdict, Azzam, an Israeli citizen born in 1990, underwent a process of ideological radicalization that lasted approximately a decade. From 2014 until his arrest in July 2024, he systematically consumed ISIS content, including videos of combat, executions, beheadings, and footage of mutilated bodies.
One of the most serious findings in the sentencing decision concerned Azzam's conduct during the October 7 terrorist attack.
The court determined that during the massacre, Azzam expressed malicious delight in conversations with an extremist living in Germany. He also sent the individual horrific videos documenting atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists, including attacks on soldiers, kidnappings, and the seizure of military vehicles.
In another incident, while discussing wounded soldiers who had arrived at Soroka Hospital from the fighting in the Gaza Strip, Azzam wished for the death of one of the soldiers who had been rushed to the emergency department where he worked.
The judge considered this a particularly aggravating circumstance, given his role as a physician responsible for treating patients and wounded individuals, including IDF soldiers.
Following the October 7 attack, Azzam decided to join ISIS and pledged allegiance to the organization's leader, Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi. The court determined that, as a result of this oath, he became a member of the terrorist organization.
During the investigation, authorities discovered dozens of files on Azzam's devices containing practical instructions for preparing explosive devices, explosives, and poisons.
The materials were stored on mobile phones, a personal computer, and other devices, some of which were password-protected. Azzam had also organized the materials into dedicated folders by subject, including folders devoted to making poisons and explosives.
The judge determined that this was not merely curiosity but rather a systematic process of learning and developing operational capabilities.
The sentencing decision emphasized that Azzam's possession of the dangerous materials, combined with his access to patients and wounded soldiers through his work at Soroka Hospital, created a particularly serious potential risk.
The court also relied on a Shin Bet assessment that concluded Azzam posed an extremely high security risk and that there was a genuine concern he would have progressed to carrying out a physical terrorist attack had he not been arrested.
During the trial, Azzam denied most of the allegations against him. However, during the defense's closing arguments, he confirmed the admissions he had made during the investigation, including his oath of allegiance to the ISIS leader.
The defense argued that his membership in the organization was passive and that he had no intention of carrying out a terrorist attack.
The court rejected the argument that his actions amounted merely to curiosity or ideological identification.
Alongside the severity of his actions, the judge took into account his lack of a criminal record, the fact that he is married and the father of two daughters, and the lengthy period he had spent in detention.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, Azzam was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment, with credit for time already served in detention, an additional 12-month suspended prison sentence, and a fine of NIS 15,000.
Azzam was ordered to report to Dekel Prison on November 8 to begin serving his sentence.
Attorney Hofit Kantarovitz of the Southern District Attorney's Office addressed the severity of the case, stating:
"This is a serious case in which an Israeli citizen chose to join the ISIS terrorist organization, pledged allegiance to it after October 7, and systematically consumed terrorist content for years, watched videos of combat and executions, and even downloaded manuals for preparing explosives and poisons."
According to Kantarovitz, the fact that Azzam worked as a physician at a public hospital where civilians and wounded soldiers were treated illustrates the stark contrast between his professional duty to save lives and his decision to join a terrorist organization.
The State Attorney's Office announced that, in light of the severity of his actions, Azzam's details had been forwarded to the Ministry of Health for consideration of revoking his medical license.