Israel recognizes passengers of attempted flydubai hijacking as victims of 'hostile actions'

The decision was made after the Defense Ministry received confirmation from investigative authorities, including the Shin Bet and Mossad, that the hijacking was indeed an attempted terror attack.Follow us on GoogleThe attempted attack on flydubai flight FZ1073 has raised questions over whether the incident was an isolated act or part of a wider terrorist network targeting Israel.(photo credit: JACK GUEZ/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)NOVEMBER 9, 2026 17:19Updated: NOVEMBER 9, 2026 17:34The Defense Ministry on Monday officially recognized the passengers of the flydubai attempted hijacking as victims of terror under Israeli law, a month and a half after the incident took place.The decision was made after the ministry received confirmation from investigative authorities, including the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Mossad, that the hijacking was indeed an attempted terror attack.With the ministry's official recognition, the National Insurance Institute will contact the victims to provide further assistance, including providing psychological and financial assistance according to their eligibility.On September 30, during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar with an axe, seriously injuring him in the head.The aircraft began descending rapidly, and passengers realized they could be heading toward a crash. Tali Mans, who heard shouting from the cockpit, called for help.The injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, and several passengers, including Yaniv Hayun, Asaf Rajwan, Or Fardilov, and Zvika Mans, rushed toward the co-pilot, overpowered him, and restrained him using headphone cables.Dr. Shota Musayev, a dentist aboard the flight, treated the injured captain and tried to stop the bleeding.Two pilots employed by the airline who were traveling on the aircraft as passengers took over in the cockpit and successfully landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.Defense Minister Israel Katz described the attempted hijacking as a "jihadist terror attack" the day the incident occured.On October 9, the UAE attorney-general also confirmed that al-Hammami had planned to crash the aircraft into the passenger terminal at Ben-Gurion Airport, inspired by the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.During questioning, he said he had spent years preparing for the attack and had even used two previous flights to Israel to familiarize himself with the flight route and the airport.This is a developing story.Follow us on Google