Israeli Bedouins roundly denounce terrorist identified as Bedouin Israeli citizen originally from Gaza

The terrorist who murdered the 51-year-old IDF career soldier Uri Moyal near Beersheva on Thursday originally hailed from the Gaza Strip and received Israeli citizenship after marrying an Israeli Bedouin woman, local media reported on Thursday.

Fadi Abu Latif, a 23-year-old resident from the Bedouin town of Rahat in southern Israel, stabbed Moyal to death at a highway rest stop at Beit Kama Junction on Highway 40 on Thursday.

Moyal managed to shoot and kill Abu Latif before succumbing to his wounds.

“This is a 23-year-old terrorist, who until the age of 18 grew up in Gaza,” said Israel Police Chief Kobi Shabtai at the scene.

“He moved to Israel and received citizenship. He got married and carried out an attack. We [the police] are spread across the country. I call on the public to be alert to suspicious people and suspicious items. We continue our efforts, and activate special units and volunteers to cover the entire country in all centers.”

Three other people were taken to the hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries.

About two hours after the attack, Israeli police forces raided the home of the terrorist in Rahat. The forces discovered early indications that Abu Latif had planned to carry out a terror attack, Israeli media reported.

Abu Latif's mother was born in Rahat and his father was born in the Gaza Strip, where he still lives.

According to reports, Abu Latif grew up in Gaza until the age of 18 and later moved to Rahat and received Israeli citizenship.

Rahat is the largest town in the Israeli Bedouin community, many of whom are loyal Israeli citizens, with some even serving in the IDF or the Israel Police force.

Due to the city’s proximity to the Gaza Strip, several Bedouins were among the victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre, while others were kidnapped along with Jewish hostages.

The terrorist’s name gave rise to conflicting reports after the attack, as Israeli media initially reported that the terrorist was part of the same family as Ahmad Abu Latif, a Bedouin reservist soldier who was killed fighting for Israel in Gaza.

Later that same day, however, the family denied the reports, with Ahmad Abu Latif’s father stating that the terrorist wasn’t related to his family at all.

Many other residents of Rahat angrily denounced the terror attack and claimed it didn’t characterize their community.

“We are denouncing this event, it’s not acceptable to us,” the mayor of Rahat, Talal al-Karinawi, told Israel's Channel 14 news on Thursday.

“All residents of Rahat are condemning this incident, he doesn’t represent, and in fact is not part of the residents of Rahat. This is a resident of Gaza who came to Rahat just several years ago.”

He added: “Therefore, this doesn’t reflect on the residents of Rahat, who want to live in peace, coexistence and cooperation. We have such good relations here in the area… and want to keep and improve them.”

A relative of Abu Latif said he didn’t understand how he could think of carrying out an attack.

“We did not feel that he had such a thought. I personally condemn any harm to Jewish and Arab citizens. Such an act does not characterize me nor others from the settlement and the family,” he told Ynet News.

“We have soldiers in our family who contribute and fight for the State of Israel and keep citizens safe. We are sorry that a young man chooses to harm innocent citizens; we are on good terms with all the Jews in the area,” another relative added.