An Israeli man and two Gaza residents were indicted on Tuesday after the driver admitted to transporting the two Gazans in exchange for NIS 50.
The indictments were filed against all three on Tuesday at the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court, along with requests to keep them in custody until the end of legal proceedings.
The driver, Mahmoud Khatib, admitted last week that he had transported the two men from their lodging in Kafr Kanna to their workplace.
According to the indictment, Northern District patrol officers had spotted a Skoda traveling through Kafr Kanna last week. After noticing the police vehicle, one of the passengers quickly lowered his head in an apparent attempt to hide.
The officers stopped the vehicle and found the two Gaza residents, aged 37 and 54, who did not have permits to be in Israel.
Khatib, both Gazans, charged
Following the investigation, the Israel Police’s Nazareth North Prosecution Unit charged Khatib, a 74-year-old resident of Kafr Kanna, with transporting people who were in Israel illegally. The two passengers were also charged with entering and remaining in Israel without permits.