IDF forces intercepted a smuggling drone on Monday that tried to cross from Israeli territory into the Gaza Strip, in the agricultural fields of Kibbutz Nahal Oz. An inspection of the drone's contents, which fell inside Israeli territory, found a large quantity of pills containing hard drugs. The drone can carry dozens of kilograms (well over 40 pounds) of weapons or drugs.
The incident is the latest in the ongoing smuggling phenomenon along Israel's borders. The Gaza Division's operations room, which is supposed to address the problem, focuses on inspecting smuggling between Egypt and Israel. It does not track smuggling routes between Israel and Gaza. According to officials in the sector, that gap allows a smuggling route to operate from Egypt into Israel and from there into the Strip.
Video: The IDF intercepted a smuggling drone making its way between Israel and Gaza // Derech Tekuma
The smugglers disable the drones' GPS systems, which makes tracking them harder. The drones deliver weapons to Gaza and return to Israeli territory with money, and in some cases make three to four runs in a single night. The officials said that even if the smugglers complete only one run, it brings in enough money to cover the cost of the operation.
The officials added that criminal elements from the Bedouin community in Israel run the smuggling network. After Israel took control of the Philadelphi Corridor, the smuggling route shifted into Israeli territory and from there to Gaza. The change also brought the Shin Bet into the enforcement picture.
However, the officials said, apart from a few arrests, the scale of smuggling has not declined so far, not on the Egyptian border, not on the eastern border and not on the renewed smuggling route into the Gaza Strip.
The IDF confirmed the incident and said, "IDF forces identified a drone overnight that attempted to cross from Israeli territory into the Gaza Strip. Following identification, the forces intercepted the drone inside Israel, and its contents are being examined."
The Otef Israel Forum responded to the incident and said, "The events from Gaza prove that Hamas continues to arm itself, while Israel has yet to formulate a plan to topple it, even though it is clear that Hamas will not disarm of its own free will. It is time to move to action and fulfill the promise of the war – toppling Hamas and restoring security to the border communities."
