Israel foils ISIS-inspired car bomb plot targeting popular Be'er Sheba nightclub
Security forces arrest a 20-year-old Negev resident charged with storing heavy weaponry and building an explosive device to attack the venue
An indictment was filed at the Be'er Sheba District Court following a joint investigation by the Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency, charging a 20-year-old Bedouin resident of the Negev with severe security and firearms offenses linked to a foiled terror plot.
The suspect, identified as Abdullah Gergawi from the Bedouin town of Segev Shalom, was apprehended by officers from the Yoav unit and the local police station. According to state prosecutors, Gergawi had consumed Islamic State online propaganda for an extended period, leading to his radicalization and alignment with the terrorist organization's ideology. He established contact with online foreign actors, including an individual posing as a Palestinian terrorist operative, and participated in ISIS-linked Telegram channels to exchange extremist content.
Investigators revealed that Gergawi was actively preparing to execute a mass-casualty attack in the city of Be'er Sheba.
He gathered materials to assemble an improvised explosive device, planning to detonate a booby-trapped vehicle outside the "Forum," a popular nightlife venue in the city.
In addition to the vehicle bomb plot, the investigation uncovered a history of illegal weapons possession.
Security forces established that Gergawi stored an arsenal at his residence throughout 2025, which included a MAG machine gun, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a Negev light machine gun, an M16 rifle, and live ammunition. In the months prior to his arrest, he allegedly possessed an illegal M16-style weapon assembled from standard firearms components and discharged it in an open area.
Following the conclusion of the joint inquiry, the Southern District State Attorney's Office officially charged Gergawi with security violations, terrorism offenses, and illegal weapons possession.
In a joint statement, the Israel Police and the Shin Bet affirmed that the suspect's plans were dismantled before he could carry out the attack, highlighting their zero-tolerance policy toward Israeli citizens involved in terrorist activity.