Palestinian charged with attempting to smuggle diving equipment to Hamas

A Gaza merchant charged with attempting to illegally smuggle diving equipment to Hamas’ military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades via the Kerem Shalom checkpoint to Gaza.

By Yoel Domb

 

Gaza merchant was charged Sunday with an attempt to illegally smuggle diving equipment through Kerem Shalom checkpoint to an armed wing of Hamas. The indictment stated that he tried to smuggle diving equipment into the Gaza strip illegally and to sell it to the military wing of Hamas and that he transferred large quantities of sports equipment to the Hamas military wing.

Three months ago the Kerem Shalom checkpoint security guards managed to foil the large smuggling attempt. During the examination they found tens of professional diving suits which were slated to enter the Gaza strip. According to the charges the suits were meant for terrorist groups in the strip including the navy commando units of Hamas.

According to a Defense Ministry announcement, the diving suits were disguised as a regular consignment of sports clothes and equipment being imported into the PA from abroad.The consignment was confiscated and an investigation was opened to locate those responsible for the smuggling attempt.

Additionally, a month earlier, the GSS and checkpoint authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of materials for preparing weapons and building tunnels. In the consignment a number of pipes for use as mortars and tens of electrical motors for use in the underground infrastructure of Hamas in Gaza were uncovered.

 

View original Arutz Sheva publication at:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217335