Sister of Slain Hamas Leader Denies Incitement Charges in Beersheba Court
Sabah Abd al-Salam, sister of the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, testified in the Beersheba Magistrates' Court, denying incitement charges and explaining her illiteracy and shared family phone use.
Court Testimony in Beersheba
In the Magistrates' Court in Beersheba, Sabah Abd al-Salam (Sabah Haniyeh), the sister of the assassinated Hamas political bureau chief, testified on Thursday regarding charges of incitement and sending prohibited content. When directly asked by the court and her defense attorney about the charges against her, she responded unequivocally: "Never."
Abd al-Salam, who lives in Neighborhood 26 in Tel Sheva along with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—totaling about 30 people occupying two buildings—stated that she grew up in Gaza and never attended school. According to her testimony, she suffers from illiteracy and cannot read or write.
Phone Usage and Family Compound
Addressing questions regarding the mobile phone central to the police investigation, she clarified that the device is not personal but shared by all household residents. Regarding her WhatsApp activity, she explained that she cannot read incoming messages like "good morning" and relies on family members to decode them. When she wishes to send a message, she dictates it to her daughters and children to execute for her.
"Every person living in the house uses it as needed, all the children in the house play on the phone," she stated regarding the shared device.
During the hearing, a dedicated electronic device used by her to read the Quran was demonstrated in court. She places an electronic pen on the requested verse, and the device plays the text aloud.
October 7 and Arrest
Abd al-Salam also addressed the moment of her arrest, noting that police forces raided the home at 6:00 AM while six children were sleeping in the same room. Regarding the events of October 7, she recalled that the day began normally before escalating: "There was a war." She added that her family sought shelter in the basements during the initial hours of the alarms.
