Egyptian court sentences 2 Israelis to 5 years in prison for assaulting Taba hotel workers

CAIRO – 4 May 2025: South Sinai Criminal Court has sentenced two Israeli citizens to five years of hard labor in prison for assaulting three hotel workers and vandalizing property at a Taba hotel last year.

Egypt's criminal courts' rulings are not final and are subject to be appealed.

The two convicts, one laborer and the other a contractor, are both Arab Israelis. They were found guilty of attacking the hotel staff after both men refused to pay their bill for beverages.

The incident occurred on August 30, 2024, when the two men attacked the hotel workers with a wooden stick, a thick piece of aluminum, and glass bottles.

The assault resulted in serious injuries to the victims.

Security investigations revealed that the Israelis had ordered large quantities of alcoholic beverages for themselves and their companions.

When presented with the bill, they refused to pay, leading to the altercation.

The two men also vandalized the hotel, smashing glass doors, drinkware, and chairs, causing an estimated LE 35,000 in damages.

One of the victims sustained a skull fracture, leading to dizziness and imbalance and resulting in a 40% disability. The other victims suffered head, eyebrow, and neck wounds requiring more than 21 days of treatment.

The Israelis have faced multiple charges, including using violence, terrorizing citizens, harming hotel employees, damaging hotel property, obtaining unpaid services, and causing permanent disability to one of the victims.

During the court hearing, one of the victims testified about the ongoing impact of his injuries, presenting medical reports and scans confirming his disability, which has rendered him unable to work due to persistent imbalance and dizziness.

Despite the efforts of six defense attorneys to obscure the truth, South Sinai Criminal Court issued the aforementioned sentence of five years of hard labor and referred the case to the competent civil court.