A Bedouin Israeli man who crossed into the Gaza Strip in 2016 and joined Hamas before being detained while trying to cross back into Israel during the ongoing war, has died in custody, authorities said Saturday.

Juma Ibrahim Abu Ghanima, 26, was found unconscious in his cell at Eshel Prison on March 12 and taken to hospital, the Israel Prison Service said.

Overnight, the hospital notified the IPS of his death.

Further details were not published due to health privacy concerns.

Abu Ghanima, a resident of Hashem Zana in the northern Negev, was charged last month with serious security offenses and was being held until the end of legal proceedings.

According to the charge sheet, Abu Ghanima snuck into Gaza in July 2016, met up with a Hamas operative, and asked to join the terror group’s military wing.

He was taken to be questioned by Hamas officials, where he revealed to them the locations of IDF bases in southern Israel.

After three months of waiting in the homes of Hamas operatives, Abu Ghanima began military training with Hamas, including advanced training with the terror group’s elite Nukhba force which simulated attacks on Israeli towns and the capture of army posts.

During his time in Gaza, Abu Ghanima carried out various surveillance operations along the border and met with Hamas officials, the indictment said.

The indictment said that in 2021, Hamas jailed Abu Ghanima for two years for his “failure to comply with the limitations imposed on him.”

Due to IDF strikes near the jail where he was held on December 7, 2023, all of the prisoners were freed.

Three days later, Abu Ghanima attempted to cross back into Israel, where he was detained by IDF troops. He was then taken to be interrogated by the Shin Bet security agency and subsequently charged.

Abu Ghanima was charged with several serious security offenses, including conspiring to aid the enemy in its war against Israel, aiding the enemy in war, providing information to the enemy to harm the security of the state, membership in a terror organization, training for terror purposes, operating weapons for terror purposes and leaving the country illegally.