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Gag Order Lifted as Ashkelon Mayor Named in Probe of Alleged Misuse of War Donations

A lifted gag order identifies Tomer Glam as the mayor under investigation over claims that relief funds were diverted for personal benefit.

Overview

  • Police questioned Tomer Glam and released him from brief house arrest, barring him from municipal premises for one week as the investigation continues.
  • Authorities say donations worth millions of shekels intended for residents after Oct. 7 were routed through a local nonprofit to businesses that provided kickbacks or personal favors.
  • Eleven additional suspects, including municipal employees and local businessmen, were detained in the wider case, according to police.
  • Records show the Ashkelon Foundation raised NIS 23.6 million in 2023 and NIS 11 million in 2024 from Israeli and overseas donors, including major Jewish philanthropic bodies.
  • The probe followed council member Eva Tuati’s freedom-of-information request that flagged missing or opaque documents, as media reports also cited a vendor suspected of renovating Glam’s family home instead of bomb shelters.