Negev Man Indicted Over Instagram Posts Praising Hamas and Terrorists
A 20-year-old Negev man, Ahmed Abu Mahareb, has been indicted for praising Hamas and calling for jihad on Instagram, potentially inciting terrorism.
Jerusalem, 6 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — A 20-year-old man from the Negev Bedouin town of Laqiya has been indicted for posting content inciting terrorism and praising terrorist organizations on Instagram.
Ahmed Abu Mahareb, who had about 1,300 followers on his private account, allegedly shared content between 2025 and 2026 praising Hamas and its leaders, terrorist attacks and terrorists, while calling for jihad and harm to Jews, according to the indictment filed with the Beer-Sheva District Court.
Among the posts was a video featuring former Hamas military chief Muhammad Deif announcing the October 7, 2023, attack and calling for jihad. Abu Mahareb also allegedly shared material praising Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other Hamas officials, along with content encouraging jihad and the destruction of Tel Aviv.
Prosecutors said the posts created a real possibility of encouraging terrorist acts.