Israeli authorities announced Sunday that a 14-year-old Tel Aviv resident has been indicted for alleged affiliation with both Al-Qaeda and Hamas, marking one of the youngest cases of terror-related charges in Israel’s history.

According to the indictment, the minor is accused of contacting a foreign agent, transmitting information to the enemy, and expressing intent to carry out violent attacks against Israelis. Police say the teenager posed online as a “Muslim spy” based in Tel Aviv and was an active participant in a Signal group known as the “Cyber and Armed Jihad Movement.”

Investigators allege the suspect engaged with Al-Qaeda operatives and discussed plans to film strategic sites across Tel Aviv in preparation for terror attacks — including “the assassination of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a suicide bombing targeting Israelis, and assaults using knives or Molotov cocktails.”

Police further said the teen sought to align himself with Hamas, showing interest in bomb-making and in conducting attacks inside Israel. “His dangerousness is heightened by the fact that he crossed the boundaries of cyberspace,” the indictment said, noting that he had begun “taking active steps toward intelligence gathering” and experimenting with improvised explosives.

The case underscores Israeli security officials’ growing concern over radicalization through encrypted messaging apps and social media, particularly among minors.

In a separate case also disclosed Sunday, Israel Police announced the indictment of Yosef Ein Eli, 23, of Tiberias, for espionage and contact with Iranian intelligence agents. Ein Eli was arrested in September on suspicion of conducting security missions under Tehran’s direction in exchange for payment.

Investigators say that since late 2024, Ein Eli maintained direct contact with Iranian intelligence operatives and provided them with photos and information about hotels and tourist areas in southern Israel, including the Dead Sea region, where he was employed.

Authorities accuse him of exploiting his job access to deliver sensitive material to his Iranian handlers, allegedly fulfilling a series of “security assignments” for money.

Both indictments come amid an intensifying Israeli effort to combat espionage and online terror recruitment networks, which officials say are increasingly targeting young and vulnerable citizens inside the country.

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