16 Teens Indicted for Murder of Israeli Pizza Hut Worker

Israeli prosecutors have filed indictments against 16 minors in connection with the killing of Yemanu Binyamin Zelka, a 21-year-old employee of a Pizza Hut branch in Petah Tikva. The charges, filed in Lod District Court, follow an attack that occurred during the early hours of Israeli Independence Day on April 22, 2026.

Criminal Charges and Sentencing

One 15-year-old suspect has been charged with negligent murder, a charge indicating the defendant was aware that their actions could lead to a lethal outcome. Fifteen other defendants, primarily aged between 14 and 16, face charges of causing serious bodily harm with intent. Some of these minors also face additional charges including conspiracy to assault, making threats, obstruction of justice, and the destruction of evidence.

Both negligent murder and causing serious bodily harm carry a maximum sentence of 20 years, though the final determination remains at the discretion of the court. While the state has proceeded with these charges, police had previously recommended the more severe charge of aggravated murder for the primary suspect, which would have carried a mandatory life sentence.

Details of the Assault

According to the indictment, the incident began when a group of teenagers sprayed party foam at several girls and chased one of them into the Pizza Hut location in the Kfar Ganim neighborhood. After employees confronted the group and asked them to leave, Zelka accompanied the teenagers outside, where a verbal argument ensued.

Approximately two hours later, a second confrontation occurred. The indictment states that one minor shoved Zelka to the ground, after which the group began punching and kicking him and striking him with party spray cans. As Zelka attempted to break free, one of the minors stabbed him in the groin. The group dispersed from the scene without calling for medical assistance.

Zelka was transported to Beilinson Hospital in critical condition and died the following day. The Central District Prosecutor’s Office described the attack as “violent and cruel,” stating that the victim was targeted over a trivial matter while attempting to maintain order at his place of employment.

Victim Background and Family Response

Yemanu Binyamin Zelka was an Ethiopian-Israeli who had been employed at the Petah Tikva Pizza Hut for five years. According to coworkers, he had risen through the company ranks from a delivery person to a shift supervisor. His family has described him as a “pure, innocent kid.”

Following the announcement of the charges, Zelka’s family has rallied for harsher penalties, pushing for the most severe charges possible against the suspects involved in the killing.

The prosecution has requested that all 16 defendants be held in custody until the conclusion of the legal proceedings against them.