Nazareth man charged after allegedly seeking Hamas help, researching explosives to attack Ben-Gvir

A 29-year-old man from Nazareth has been indicted on charges including attempting to contact Hamas and researching explosives, with prosecutors alleging he sought the group's assistance to attack Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Muhammad Awad, in custody since late June, faces charges in the Nazareth District Court for two counts of contact with a foreign agent, obtaining instructions for a terrorist act, unlawful possession of ammunition, and obstruction of justice.

The indictment states Awad became interested in Hamas after viewing material related to the October 7 massacre. He allegedly began consuming Hamas content online, deciding to join the organization and act from within Israel. In 2025, he reportedly emailed an address found on a Hamas Telegram channel to make contact, though Hamas did not respond. He later deleted the message.

During the same period, Awad allegedly researched missiles, explosive mechanisms, and weapon construction, watching online videos on ballistic missiles and building detonation mechanisms. The terrorism-instruction charge is based on this studied material, as Hamas allegedly did not provide him with training or instructions. He later considered attacking Ben-Gvir with an explosive drone or a remotely controlled guided missile, planning models and searching for materials, but concluded he lacked the resources.

Prosecutors also stated that Awad contacted Hamas again in March, seeking resources for the plan against Ben-Gvir, but received no response. He is also accused of possessing ammunition and taking steps to conceal his activities, such as deleting material and using a VPN.