Criminal8/18/2026

Negev Resident Charged With Preparing an Attack Near a Club in Beersheba

The Southern District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment against Abdullah Gharqawi, a 20-year-old resident of Shaqib al-Salam, for security offenses and the unlawful possession of weapons and ammunition. According to the investigation’s account, he planned to detonate a car bomb near the Forum club in Beersheba; no judgment has yet been issued in the case.

Key facts

•Defendant: Abdullah Gharqawi, 20
•Arrest: July 19, 2026
•Court: Beersheba District Court
•Prosecuting authority: Southern District Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division
•The publication was updated on August 18, 2026
•Neither the case number nor the precise statutory provisions were specified

The Arrest and Indictment

Gharqawi was arrested on July 19, 2026, in Shaqib al-Salam, as part of a joint operation by the police and the Israel Security Agency—Shin Bet. The investigation was conducted by the police’s Southern District Central Unit and the Shin Bet. Upon its conclusion, the Criminal Division of the Southern District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment with the Beersheba District Court.

Investigation Allegations

According to the investigation materials, over an extended period the defendant viewed ISIS-related content on social media, identified with the organization’s ideology, and was a member of Telegram groups that discussed the subject. He also allegedly spoke with people online, including a person who presented himself as an armed Palestinian. The source does not state that Gharqawi intended to join ISIS in Syria.

The Alleged Attack Plan

The investigation maintains that Gharqawi took steps to prepare explosive material and manufacture an explosive device. According to the prosecution’s account, this was part of preparations for an attack using a car bomb near the Forum club in Beersheba. The police and Shin Bet announced that the alleged plan was thwarted before it was carried out.

Weapons-Related Charges

According to the investigation’s account, in March and April 2026 Gharqawi unlawfully possessed a weapon resembling an M16 rifle, containing factory-manufactured parts, accessories, and ammunition, and also fired it in an open area. It was further alleged that a MAG machine gun, a Kalashnikov rifle, a Negev light machine gun, an M16 rifle, magazines, and ammunition were found in his home in 2025. The publication did not specify the precise statutory provisions or the case number.

What this means for you

The filing of an indictment marks the start of criminal proceedings, not a determination that the person is guilty. The prosecution will be required to prove before the court both the alleged preparations for the attack and the facts concerning the unlawful possession of weapons and ammunition. The source does not report that a judicial decision has been issued or that a sentence has been imposed.

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