Israel discovers 4X4 parts shipped to Hamas in Gaza

Israeli officials on Wednesday exposed a dismantled pickup truck as it was being smuggled into the Gaza Strip, apparently on its way to the Hamas terror organization.

Ministry of Defense (MOD) Crossing Authority officials, in collaboration with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), stopped an Israeli driven trailer transporting a large shipment of spare auto parts at the Kerem Shalom Crossing point.

The shipment aroused the officials’ suspicion, and closer inspection revealed a 4×4 pickup dismantled into ten parts. It was deconstructed in a way to facilitate easy reassembly, and even included a packages of screws, the MOD noted in a statement.

This type of 4X4 vehicle is a favorite of Hamas’ military wing and is often used by its operatives, the MOD pointed out.

The parts were confiscated and an investigation has been launched to locate those involved in the smuggling attempt.

Israel’s combined security agencies have been successful in thwarting multiple smuggling attempts into Gaza, almost on a daily basis.

Just yesterday, Israeli authorities uncovered and seized “a significant” amount of goods which can be used for terrorism on their way to Gaza, including security cameras, 14 small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), binoculars and laser pointers for weapons.

More than 500 attempts to smuggle illicit materials from Israel into the Gaza Strip since the beginning of 2015 have been thwarted by Israel. Over 280 trucks have been confiscated as a result of illegal activity over the course of 2014.

Since Israel decimated Hamas’ terror infrastructure during Operation Protective Edge, Hamas has been working relentlessly to rehabilitate its networks and replenish its weapons stockpiles.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

GazaHamasKerem Shalom CrossingShin BetSmuggling