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Israeli security authorities announced that they had foiled the latest of nine attempts to assassinate National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, following the arrest of a Nazareth resident allegedly seeking Hamas assistance to carry out attacks against Israeli targets.
According to a joint investigation by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Israel Police, Muhammad Awad, 29, of Nazareth, was arrested due to allegations of having contacted Hamas in an effort to join the terrorist organization and to obtain assistance for carrying out attacks, including an what is believed to have been a plot targeting Min. Ben Gvir. State prosecutors are expected to file an indictment following the investigation.
JNS stated that
“Over the past month, following intelligence received from the Israel Security Agency [Shin Bet], investigators from the Central Investigations Unit of the Israel Police Jerusalem District opened an investigation against a 20-year-old resident of eastern Jerusalem,” according to the police statement.
The suspect was said to have made contact with an individual in Yemen via social media. The two encouraged each other to carry out terror attacks and become martyrs, with the suspect allegedly writing, “I take every opportunity I have to confront the occupation—may I die a martyr’s death.”
Police said the suspect also maintained contact with a terrorist operative in Turkey, adding that their conversations included “expressions of praise and support” for the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel.
According to the Yeshiva World News, security officials indicated that Awad was attempting to “join Hamas and receive assistance in planning an attack” against Min. Ben Gvir, adding that prosecutors had already submitted a prosecutor’s declaration ahead of a formal indictment.
Türkiye Today reported Awad was employed by a security company in Afula and that, during questioning, authorities determined he had contacted Hamas “in an effort to join the organization and receive assistance to carry out attacks.” The report noted that the Shin Bet and Israel Police did not disclose additional operational details regarding the alleged assassination plan or the resources the suspect sought to obtain.
Following the announcement, Ben Gvir stated that the latest case represented another in a series of assassination plots directed against him
“This is the ninth time they have tried to assassinate me, and God bless him, the Israel Police, the General Security Service, the ‘Magen’ unit and the Prison Service Intelligence – all are working hard to protect me, and I thank them.
But I say to those terrorists: I will continue to take a tough hand in the prisons, I will continue the weapons reform, I will continue to open emergency classes, and I will continue to carry out demolitions in the Bedouin diaspora in the Negev. What is illegal – will be demolished.
I will continue to act for my people. I will not help them. I am not afraid.”
This latest case follows a series of previously disclosed assassination plots against the minister.
The Jerusalem Post reported that in September 2025 the Shin Bet announced that it had “thwarted a Hamas terrorist cell’s plan to assassinate National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir using explosive drones.” The operation was carried out jointly by the Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces after investigators determined that suspects in the Hebron area had received direction from Hamas operatives in Turkey.
JNS has also documented a succession of additional assassination attempts. In March 2026, Israeli security forces announced that they had thwarted a suicide attack targeting Ben Gvir after arresting an East Jerusalem resident allegedly in contact with terrorist operatives in Yemen and Turkey. At that time, Ben Gvir stated: “This is, thank God, the seventh time they have unsuccessfully tried to eliminate me,” adding, “They will not deter me or frighten me.”
The JNS report further reviewed earlier cases, including:
- the arrest of an East Jerusalem resident in 2023 who confessed to planning to assassinate Ben Gvir;
- the 2023 arrest of five suspects allegedly recruited by Iran to murder Ben Gvir and former Knesset member Yehudah Glick;
- the April 2024 Shin Bet operation that foiled a plot to kill Ben Gvir using a rocket-propelled grenade; and
- the November 2024 indictment of three Hebron terrorists accused of plotting to murder both Ben Gvir and his son with assistance from Hamas and Hezbollah.
The most recent investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors are expected to file formal charges against Muhammad Awad as Israeli authorities continue to pursue the case.
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