Court ruling10/7/2026

Up to Seven Years in Prison Imposed for Theft of Equipment from the Nova Festival

The Beersheba Magistrate’s Court sentenced two of the three defendants convicted of stealing two valuable sound systems from the Nova Festival site near Re’im. Ram Shahin was sentenced to seven years in prison, and Daniel Hasson to 40 months; the third defendant will be sentenced at a later date.

Key facts

•Court: Beersheba Magistrate’s Court
•Sentencing date: October 7, 2026
•Ram Shahin: seven years in prison
•Daniel Hasson: 40 months in prison
•Value of the equipment: approximately 800,000 shekels
•The case number is not stated in the source

What Happened

The equipment, valued at approximately 800,000 shekels, was stolen two days after the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack. It belonged to Matan Lior, who was killed after assisting in evacuating casualties and rescuing people under fire during the attack.

Ram Shahin’s Sentence

The court found that Shahin was the principal organizer of the offense and noted that he also misled police investigators. In addition to seven years in prison, he was fined 60,000 shekels and ordered to pay 75,000 shekels in compensation to Matan Lior’s parents and 25,000 shekels in compensation to Lior’s business partner. He was also given suspended prison sentences for a period of three years: 12 months for serious property or fraud offenses, and six months for less serious offenses of this kind.

Daniel Hasson’s Sentence

Hasson attempted to sell the stolen equipment, accepted responsibility, and agreed to the amended indictment. The court found that his role was smaller and sentenced him to 40 months in prison, a fine of 30,000 shekels, compensation of 40,000 shekels to the deceased’s parents, and compensation of 15,000 shekels to his business partner. In addition, suspended prison sentences of 12 months and six months were imposed for a period of three years for property offenses at the corresponding levels of severity.

Why the Sentence Was Severe

The court set more stringent sentencing ranges than those sought by the parties. It noted that the defendants deliberately exploited the chaos, loss, and helplessness at the scene of the mass massacre for profit. In the court’s assessment, the acts caused severe harm to the dignity of the dead, property rights, the rule of law, social solidarity, and public trust.

What this means for you

When determining a sentence for property offenses, a court in Israel may take into account not only the value of the stolen property and each participant’s role, but also the exceptional circumstances in which the offense was committed. Stealing property from the scene of a mass tragedy may lead to an especially severe sentence, substantial fines, and compensation for the victims.

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Case analysis based on court rulings