Israeli inspectors at the Kerem Shalom land crossing on Monday blocked the attempted delivery of explosives from Gaza to Palestinian Authority terrorists.
Smugglers tried to deliver several kilograms of explosive material to terrorist operatives in Judea and Samaria, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Security personnel at the crossing discovered the “high quality” explosives while searching a clothing shipment ostensibly intended for “export” from Gaza, the ministry said.
“During a security check for goods from the Gaza Strip that arrived at the crossing in three trucks, high-quality explosive material was discovered in the amount of several kilograms, which was hidden in clothes of international fashion brands. The explosive material was found inside the lining of the clothes and was allegedly intended for terrorist elements. The goods were seized and the incident was transferred to the investigation of the security forces,” the Defense Ministry said.
IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi subsequently ordered a halt to all exports of goods from Gaza “until further notice in accordance with security assessments,” in response to the incident.
Halevi’s orders were approved by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Not the First Arms “Export” from Gaza to Palestinian Authority Terrorists
A similar incident took place this past May, when security personnel from the Defense Ministry thwarted an attempt to smuggle weapons from Gaza into the Palestinian Authority.
The weaponry was discovered during a routine search of a shipment being exported from the enclave.
The arms were hidden in furniture being sent from Gaza to Judea and Samaria. Among the items tucked away inside the furniture were firearms, silencers and cartridges, all hidden in a delivery en route from Gaza to Judea and Samaria.
Gaza Terror Chiefs Coordinating with Iran’s Hezbollah in Lebanon
This weekend, the head of Iran’s Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah convened a meeting with the heads of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to coordinate their attacks against Israel.
Saleh al-Arouri – deputy political chief for Hamas – and Ziyad al-Nakhala, head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, were both present at the meeting led by Hassan Nasrallah.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are both generously supported by Iran and although they are based in Gaza, they have multiple satellite cells throughout the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria.
