The State Attorney's Office has filed a civil lawsuit at the Beersheba Magistrate's Court on behalf of the Ministry of Defense against Hassan Al-Ma'abda, a resident of Kuseife, for treatment and evacuation costs incurred by the state due to criminal activity. The lawsuit, totaling approximately 105,000 NIS, seeks to hold Al-Ma'abda liable for the cost of his transport via a Yanshuf helicopter to Soroka Hospital, an incident that occurred during his attempt to smuggle weapons and ammunition from Jordan into Israel.
According to the statement of claim filed by Adv. Gali Zimmerman-Hadad of the Southern District Attorney's Office, upon the arrival of security forces at the scene in June 2021, Al-Ma'abda chose to flee and failed to comply with arrest orders. During the pursuit, which involved gunfire used to apprehend him, Al-Ma'abda was wounded in the legs, and an IDF soldier was also injured. Due to the severity of his injury, an urgent evacuation by military helicopter was required.
In the criminal realm, Al-Ma'abda has already been convicted of weapons import and trafficking offenses and obstructing a police officer in the line of duty. In 2023, he was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison, in addition to a fine. Now, the state is shifting to the civil arena. The lawsuit alleges that the defendant's active conduct, which led to his flight and the subsequent necessity for an aerial evacuation, establishes grounds for tort and normative liability.
The state bases its claim on several central legal causes, including negligence, breach of statutory duty, and unjust enrichment. According to the State Attorney's Office, because the defendant directly caused the events that led to significant state expenditures, it is justified to impose the burden of payment upon him. Beyond the principal sum, the state requests that the court add interest and linkage differentials, as well as legal costs and attorney's fees.
This legal move illustrates the policy of state authorities to seek recovery from criminals for direct damages caused to the state treasury as a result of serious offenses. While the criminal proceeding has concluded, the civil trial is expected to examine the issue of financial liability for damages linked to the commission of the offense. As of the time of publication, the defendant has not yet submitted his response to the claims in court.