Two indictments were submitted on Wednesday in the Gaza smuggling affair, as IDF operations in the Gaza Strip continue. The defendants allegedly acted with awareness that the prohibited goods could reach Hamas and its members, foreseeing as a near certainty that this would be likely to assist Hamas, in its war against Israel. Prosecutors say the smuggling contributed to Hamas' strengthening, including economically, and therefore constitutes the offense of aiding the enemy during wartime.
According to the indictments, the smuggled goods included cartons of cigarettes, iPhones, batteries, communication cables, vehicle spare parts and more, worth millions of shekels. During the relevant period, beginning in the summer of 2025, the Gaza Strip was still at war, had been declared a closed military zone, and entry was permitted by security authorities only for operational needs. At regulated cargo crossings, approvals were examined as part of an orderly inspection process, both regarding entry itself and the type and quantity of goods brought into the Strip.
In the reality that developed in Gaza, control over incoming goods was of paramount importance to Hamas. Its efforts included seizing goods entering the Strip and imposing "taxes" on merchandise through various methods, all as part of its attempts to preserve its survival and rebuild its rule and power. In addition, Hamas worked to smuggle prohibited products, both for its own use and for sale to Gaza residents. This led to excessive price hikes, with profits from sales enabling Hamas, among other things, to pay salaries to its operatives and recruit new members.
A central prohibited commodity smuggled into Gaza was tobacco and cigarettes, which have funneled hundreds of millions of shekels into Hamas' coffers since the start of the war, helping it maintain economic survival and governmental control in the territory.
The defendants, some of them IDF reservists, allegedly worked with others to systematically and sophisticatedly smuggle prohibited goods into the Strip, exploiting vulnerabilities at crossing points and military activity in the area. Prosecutors say they presented false representations that their entry into Gaza was part of legitimate security activity.
In all of the smuggling operations, the defendants or others acting on their behalf entered the Gaza Strip with the goods while using false pretenses toward military forces, claiming the entry was for security-related purposes. The defendants and their accomplices knew that the smuggled merchandise could reach terrorist elements, including Hamas or those acting on its behalf, and be used to strengthen their capabilities and advance and finance their activities. Acting together, the defendants carried out the acts detailed in the indictments for financial gain, fully aware that they were circumventing the restrictions imposed by the State of Israel on the entry of goods into Gaza as part of the war effort, and despite the clear security damage inherent in their actions.
All of the defendants were charged with aiding the enemy during wartime, engaging in prohibited activity involving property for terrorist purposes, obtaining property by fraud under aggravated circumstances, and giving bribes. Yaron, Menachem, Nadav and Atar were also charged with accepting bribes. In addition, the defendants face tax offenses and violations of the Counter-Terrorism Law.
The prosecution also filed a request to forfeit the defendants' assets, including vehicles, real estate holdings, funds held in bank accounts and additional property.
