Convicted Killer Shot Dead Near Tzalmon Prison in Rare Work-Release Hit
Eyal Haib, a prisoner serving an 18-year sentence for manslaughter, was shot dead near Tzalmon Prison in northern Israel while leaving for a rehabilitation job. Police suspect a security leak enabled the targeted assassination.
The murder of 37-year-old Eyal Haib from Tuba-Zangriyye on Friday morning has caught intelligence officials within the Israel Police and the Israel Prison Service completely off guard. Haib, who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced in 2015 to 18 years in prison, was gunned down outside the facility under extraordinary circumstances. Unlike typical late-night underworld executions stemming from organized crime turf wars, this was the targeted assassination of a prisoner who had left the facility for rehabilitation work, shot dead just hundreds of meters from the Tzalmon Prison in northern Israel.
According to sources familiar with the details, the killing caught law enforcement by surprise as it never surfaced in intelligence assessments. Investigators believe someone leaked precise operational schedules regarding when Haib would walk out of Tzalmon Prison toward a nearby bus stop to commute to his workplace. A senior police official assessed that the incident was a pure act of vengeance, suggesting the perpetrators meticulously tracked his movements and inside release timings.
Haib, classified as a work release prisoner, was originally convicted for carrying out a contract killing on July 17, 2014. Hired by Ahmed Fathi Hasrama and Ibrahim Hasrama for 150,000 shekels, Haib was provided with a 9mm handgun and guided to a target near the Tal-El forest. After executing the contract, he received a 30,000 shekel advance. Due to evidentiary complexities during judicial proceedings, the charge was amended to manslaughter, resulting in an 18-year prison term.
At the sentencing hearing, judges emphasized that Haib acted out of greed and flagrant disregard for human life, leaving his victim bleeding without summoning assistance. The Friday morning shooting at approximately 6:41 AM brought a violent end to his sentence. Gunmen ambushed and shot him at point-blank range before fleeing the scene, leaving him mortally wounded. Police have not yet made any arrests as they continue to gather forensic evidence and investigate who orchestrated the hit.
