A Tunisian court has sentenced five people to prison terms ranging from one to fifteen years in connection with the deadly attack on the Ghriba synagogue in Djerba, which took place in May 2023. These sentences were confirmed by lawyer Nizar Ayed, who highlighted that the attacker’s fiancée received an eight-year sentence for her role in the crime, while a student was handed a three-year sentence. The attacker’s sister received a one-year sentence, and two other defendants faced sentences of seven and fifteen years, respectively, with the latter being for an individual who fled justice.

The attack occurred on May 9, 2023, when a National Guard officer killed three of his colleagues at a port on the island before proceeding to the Ghriba synagogue, where he shot and killed two Jewish worshippers, identified as Tunisian Aviel Haddad and his French cousin Benjamin. Several law enforcement officers were wounded in the incident, with two of them later succumbing to their injuries. The tragic event has raised questions about the attacker’s motives and whether he acted alone or as part of a broader network of militants.

Lawyer Ayed characterized the attacker as a 'lone wolf,' suggesting that he may not have had any direct connections to organized groups. However, the situation has sparked discussions about security and anti-Semitism in Tunisia, particularly in the context of the country's historical Jewish community. The mother of the sentenced student, for example, claimed that her family was merely renting to the attacker, indicating the complex dynamics that sometimes exist between different communities in the country and the potential repercussions of such violent acts on local relations.