Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Hammam Al Hammami, the Omani first officer on a flydubai flight who is accused of attempting to bring down the aircraft, told interrogators in the UAE that he was motivated by a desire to take revenge against Israel over events in Gaza.

According to a Channel 12 report on the evening of Monday, October 5, Al Hammami told investigators: “I did it to avenge Gaza; I wanted to die as a martyr.” The channel did not identify a specific source for the quote. Ynet, citing information obtained from the investigation, also reported that Al Hammami said he was motivated by a desire to take revenge against Israel over its actions in the Gaza Strip.

According to Israeli reports, Al Hammami had been planning the attack for months. He had previously travelled to Israel on a flydubai flight in June and gathered information at Ben Gurion Airport to carry out his plan. He had intended to launch the attack in July but abandoned it at the last moment.

Channel 12 previously reported that Al Hammami told investigators he had planned to continue the flight normally to Ben Gurion Airport after eliminating the captain. Once the aircraft had received clearance to land, he intended to crash it into a building or another aircraft at the airport.

Investigators are also examining whether Al Hammami acted alone or whether another individual, organisation or government was behind the plot. According to Channel 12, a Mossad official told an Israeli security cabinet meeting that Al Hammami had made brief trips to several countries hostile to Israel in recent years. Investigators are looking into whether he was recruited or directed by an individual or organisation during those visits. His mobile phone has also been seized, and its contents are being examined.

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Ynet, citing Israeli officials familiar with the investigation, reported that the current assessment is that Al Hammami probably acted on his own initiative. However, Channel 12 said Israel has yet to reach a definitive conclusion on whether he acted alone or was connected to another individual or organisation. An investigation into possible foreign links remains ongoing.

Agents from Israel’s domestic security agency, the Shin Bet, have also travelled to the UAE to take part in Al Hammami’s interrogation. Israeli security officials authorised the disclosure of the Shin Bet’s involvement in the investigation on Monday evening.

Al Hammami is accused of attacking Captain Smith Machhar with an emergency axe in the cockpit and attempting to seize control of flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30. The aircraft was eventually diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. After being detained in Saudi Arabia, Al Hammami was transferred to the UAE, where investigators are continuing to examine his motive, background and possible connections.