Judge Benny Sagi, president of the Beersheba District Court and previously identified as presiding over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption case, was killed in a traffic accident on Route 6 on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
Sagi had previously overseen the trial of Tzahi Livor, a key witness in Case 3000, the submarine procurement scandal linked to Netanyahu.
Sagi was riding his motorcycle when a vehicle entered the highway from an off-road or side area and collided with his bike. Paramedics from Magen David Adom arrived at the scene, found him with critical injuries, and pronounced him dead.
Reactions on social media have amplified suspicions of potential foul play, given Netanyahu’s ongoing legal challenges. Despite this, Israeli media report that Sagi’s death is currently considered a standard traffic accident, with no initial evidence of criminal involvement.
Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the crash, though no further details regarding criminal involvement have been released.
The incident occurs amid ongoing legal proceedings involving Netanyahu, though Sagi’s exact role in the Prime Minister’s primary corruption trial has been a source of public attention.
