Daniel Pinto, a 28-year-old avreich who was arrested at his home in Be’er Sheva overnight Sunday, was released from military prison on Wednesday.

Pinto was arrested in the middle of the night in front of his pregnant wife and children, a disturbing experience for any family. However, for the Pinto family, it was a deeply traumatizing ordeal due to the condition of his six-year-old daughter, a recognized victim of terror.

On October 7, 2023, the six-year-old was at her grandmother’s home in Ofakim near the area where terrorists murdered numerous police officers and civilians. She endured hours of terror while huddled in a protective room with terrorists outside the door and witnessed terrible sights. She was later diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress. She is officially recognized as 100% disabled.

Sadly, her father’s overnight arrest caused a significant deterioration in her condition and reversed months of progress.

In an interview with Kol Chai after his release, Pinto recounted the disturbing events. “When the military police knocked on the door in the middle of the night, I ran to open it and begged them not to make noise. I told them, ‘If you want to arrest me, then take me, but please without drama, so my six-year-old daughter won’t wake up, chalilah, and witness her father being taken away.”

Despite his pleas, the child woke up to the sight of armed men in uniform in her home and was deeply retraumatized.

“From the corner of my eye, I saw her peeking, running to her room, and slamming the door,” he said. “I told them—look at my daughter, she’s terrified. She was very close to terrorists in Ofakim and is 100% disabled. I begged them not to make a scene.”

The child’s grandfather, Rabbi Pinchas, described what happened after Daniel was taken away. “She told me, ‘Saba, the terrorists came to our house again. Who will save my father now? I sat down with her and tried to calm her, but even now, she’s still in a state of hysteria. Psychologists and therapists are trying to provide emergency help.”

After the arrest, Daniel was taken to Military Prison 10 and brought before a military prosecutor who initially demanded 20 days of incarceration. He then informed her of the plight of his family—his daughter’s condition, and the fact that his wife could not deal with the situation alone. After presenting medical documents, his sentence was shortened to three days.

He added that even during the three days in prison, he suffered numerous bureaucratic difficulties, including being barred from tefillah until the prison Rav intervened.

Following the incident, public representatives and organizations mobilized to assist the shaken family. “Within twenty minutes, the entire Shas party, from the chairman to activists in Be’er Sheva, was working for us,” Rabbi Pinchas noted, praising chairman Aryeh Deri and MK Moshe Abutbul for their personal involvement. He also thanked the Chayei Olam organization, Attorney Shlomo Haddad, whom he described as “being moser nefesh for us,” and the Chief Rabbi of Be’er Sheva, HaRav Avraham Deri.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri slammed Pinto’s arrest, saying, “What cruelty and wickedness to arrest a 28-year-old avreich—with a pregnant wife and a child with special needs—and throw him in prison for the ‘crime’ of learning Torah.”

“The world should be shocked by the persecution of Lomdei Torah. We must not get used to this! How many spiritual accusations and judgments this brings upon Am Yisrael, especially during this difficult period.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)