They tied up a 78-year-old woman and dragged her to the basement: Prosecution demands harsher sentences

Almost a year and eight months after two men broke into the home of 78-year-old Sarah in Ramat Gan, threw her to the floor, tied her up, and dragged her down the stairs to the basement while searching for a safe, the case is returning to the Supreme Court.

The State Attorney's Office has filed appeals against the sentences handed down to Jassan Rimawi and Mahmoud Al-Masri, who were convicted of the violent, premeditated robbery. The prosecution argues that the sentences are too lenient and do not reflect the dangerousness of the perpetrators or the severe impact the event had on the victim's life.

A Premeditated Crime

The robbery took place on January 17, 2025. According to court documents, this was not a random break-in. Al-Masri orchestrated the plan, traveled to the Judea and Samaria area to pick up the perpetrators, and coordinated the operation via phone while waiting in a car. A fourth accomplice acted as a lookout on the roof.

Rimawi gained entry by posing as a municipal worker. Once inside, he and an accomplice threw Sarah to the floor near the safe room (MAMAD), tied her hands, and forced her onto a bed. Al-Masri directed the search remotely, demanding the location of a safe and even scolding the perpetrators for failing to bring duct tape to silence the victim.

"I Just Wanted to Survive"

Sarah recalled how the man she thought was a city employee began hitting her, demanding money. "I tried to explain I didn't have a safe, I showed him my wallet with cash for Shabbat. He took everything," she said. After failing to find a safe, the robbers stole items of significant emotional value, including antique flutes and a wristwatch.

They dragged Sarah down the stairs to the basement and left her tied up. "They rolled me down four floors and kicked me. I was left lying on the floor, bruised and unable to move. They threw my mobile phone in the microwave and cut the landline," Sarah recounted. She was later rushed to Sheba Hospital with severe bruising and dangerously high blood pressure.

Lasting Trauma and Prosecution's Stance

Probation reports confirm that Sarah suffers from PTSD. She lives in constant fear, avoids leaving her home, and struggles to trust others.

Rimawi received a 71-month sentence, while Al-Masri was sentenced to 70 months. The prosecution argues that Rimawi is a repeat offender and that Al-Masri, as the "mastermind," should not receive a sentence identical to that of the field perpetrators. The state is pushing for significantly harsher penalties, labeling the robbery of the elderly a "national plague" that requires a severe deterrent.