Criminal10/8/2026

Two Relatives of Aya Asiwi Sentenced to 22 and 17 Years in Prison for Murdering Her While She Was Pregnant

The Lod District Court sentenced two relatives of Aya Asiwi (Abu Hajjaj), who were minors, to 22 and 17 years in prison for jointly committing murder under aggravated circumstances. Her father was sentenced to 15 years in prison for aiding and abetting murder and additional offenses; the convicted defendants were also ordered to pay a total of more than 300,000 shekels to the deceased’s children.

Key facts

•Court: Lod District Court
•The murder took place in November 2023
•Sentences: 22 years in prison, 17 years in prison, and 15 years in prison
•Compensation for the children: more than 300,000 shekels
•Classification of the offenses: murder under aggravated circumstances and aiding and abetting murder
•Neither the case number nor the date of sentencing was stated in the source

What Happened

The murder took place in Lod in November 2023, when Aya, 26, was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. According to the indictment, her half-brother and cousin arrived at her home at night masked and armed with a knife, and in the morning they attacked her while she was taking her two children, aged four and five, to kindergarten. Aya was stabbed more than 20 times in front of her children; neither she nor her fetus could be saved.

Who Was Convicted

The deceased’s half-brother, who was approximately 14 and a half years old at the time of the offense, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Her cousin, who was approximately 15 and a half at the time, was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Both were convicted of jointly committing murder under aggravated circumstances and of additional offenses.

The Father’s Role and the Motive

Aya’s father was convicted of aiding and abetting murder and of additional offenses, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was also charged with a separate, earlier assault on his daughter in the yard of her home. According to the indictment, the motive for the act was Aya’s refusal to return to her father and his family in the Bedouin town of Hura in the Negev.

Compensation for the Family

The court ordered the convicted defendants to pay compensation to the deceased’s children totaling more than 300,000 shekels. The publication did not state the exact amount or how it would be distributed. The case number and the calendar date on which the sentence was handed down also do not appear in the material provided.

What this means for you

The decision shows that the defendants’ young age does not preclude the imposition of a lengthy prison sentence for an extremely serious violent crime. In addition to prison terms, a criminal court may order those found guilty to pay compensation to the deceased’s children. In this case, liability was also imposed on a relative convicted as an aider and abettor, even though other people carried out the attack itself.

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Case analysis based on court rulings