Arab-Israeli Who Joined Hamas Dies After Being Found Unconscious in Jail Cell

By Yoni Weiss

Jumaa Abu Ghanima, an Arab-Israeli who had joined Hamas and was subsequently arrested upon attempting to return to Israel during the war, died in a hospital after being discovered unconscious in his jail cell, according to the Israel Prison Service.

Abu Ghanima, 26, was found unconscious in his cell at Eshel Prison in southern Israel and was rushed to Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva in critical condition. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he died.

Abu Ghanima’s recent legal troubles began when he was indicted on charges of treason at the Be’er Sheva District Court. The charges included aiding an enemy during wartime and joining a terrorist organization. According to the indictment, he had crossed into Gaza in 2016, where he joined Hamas’s military wing and received training with their elite forces. He also gathered intelligence on Israeli border communities.

During his time in Gaza, Abu Ghanima provided information to Hamas, including the locations of IDF bases in southern Israel. After being detained by Hamas for two years, he attempted to flee prison during an IDF bombardment and was subsequently recaptured by Israeli security forces.