High-profile case8/24/2026

Freija Case: Ambulance Driver Testified About Castelman's Condition

At the trial of IDF reservist Aviad Freija, ambulance driver Eran Petatzky stated that Yuval Castelman left the scene alive and fully conscious. His testimony also sparked a dispute over whether the coat examined during the investigation belonged to Castelman.

Key facts

•Defendant: Reservist First Sergeant Aviad Freija
•Deceased: Yuval Castelman
•Witness: Ambulance driver Eran Petatzky
•Court: Military court
•Date of the hearing mentioned: May 7, 2026
•The case number and statutory provision are not specified in the source

What Happened

Reservist First Sergeant Aviad Freija is accused of causing the death of Yuval Castelman, whom he mistakenly identified as one of the terrorists during the attack at the entrance to Jerusalem. The case is being heard by a military court. The source does not state the final ruling in the case.

The Ambulance Driver's Testimony

Ambulance driver Eran Petatzky told the court that Castelman was alive and fully aware of what was happening while he was being evacuated. Because of his jaw injury, he was unable to speak, but he communicated with the team through gestures and pointed to his face when asked where he was in pain. According to the publication's assessment, this information does not support the claim that a "kill confirmation" was carried out at the scene.

The Disputed Coat

After the evacuation, Petatzky found a coat in the vehicle whose owner was unknown. He said that, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone throw an object into the vehicle while another casualty was being loaded. Footage shows Castelman wearing a blue garment with a different pattern, while the coat that was found was black, according to the witness.

The Prosecution's and Defense's Positions

The military prosecution links the absence of bullet holes in the coat that was examined to the hypothesis that the fatal shots were fired after Castelman removed it in an attempt to show that he was not a terrorist. The defense argues that it must first be proven that the item belonged to Castelman and believes that Petatzky's testimony undermines this part of the prosecution's account. The attorneys are asking the Chief Military Prosecutor to reconsider continuing the trial and to dismiss the indictment, including under the doctrine of "abuse of process"; the source does not report a decision on this request.

What this means for you

The witness's testimony by itself does not bring the case to an end, but it may affect the assessment of the medical timeline and the reliability of the physical evidence. For an ordinary person, this illustrates how important it is in criminal proceedings to establish the ownership of seized items, the continuity of their transfer, and their comparison with video footage. The court will determine the final evidentiary weight of these circumstances.

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Case analysis based on court rulings