Hamas continues to try and build up its military capabilities in order to attack Israel.
Israeli officials on Tuesday exposed an attempt by Hamas terrorists to smuggle commando knives into Gaza.
Ministry of Defense (MOD) Crossing Authority officials, in collaboration with the Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency), foiled an attempt to smuggle commando knives into the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing.
The two boxes containing military grade 30 cm (12 inch) commando knives were hidden in a shipment of technicians’ tools.
Officials also foiled an attempt to smuggle graphite hidden in a shipment to the Palestinian electric company. Graphite is a raw material used in the production of rocket fuel.
Israeli authorities confiscated the illicit materials and launched an investigation to locate those involved and responsible for the smuggling attempts.
Israel’s combined security agencies have been successful in thwarting multiple smuggling attempts into Gaza, almost on a daily basis.
In July, Israeli officials exposed a dismantled 4X4 pickup truck as it was being smuggled into the Gaza Strip, apparently on its way to the Hamas terror organization.
A day before that, 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