The Beersheba Magistrate's Court has convicted Dr. Mohammad Azzam, a former physician at Soroka Medical Center, of membership in the Islamic State group after what the court described as a prolonged process of radicalization. Prosecutors said he began consuming extremist propaganda in 2014 and formally adopted the organization's ideology following the October 7 massacre and the outbreak of war.

According to the indictment, Azzam circulated footage from the massacre while expressing support for the attack and hostility toward the State of Israel. Investigators also found that in 2024 he downloaded manuals detailing how to prepare explosives and toxic substances.

The court ruled that direct contact with official operatives was not necessary to establish membership, citing the group's online joining protocol that encourages supporters to act independently. The judge emphasized the severity of the case given Azzam's role as a physician, warning that his access to civilians and soldiers, combined with his extremist views, posed a significant security threat.