In Israel, the brother of the country’s security chief was among 15 people arrested in a major police operation targeting an alleged smuggling network accused of funneling illegal goods into the Gaza Strip.
Bezalel Zini, brother of Shin Bet chief David Zini, was detained as part of what Israeli authorities described as a “systematic and sophisticated” operation aimed at smuggling illegal cigarettes into Gaza for profit.
According to the indictment, Bezalel Zini allegedly moved 14 crates of cigarettes into Gaza, earning around 365,000 shekels (approximately $117,000). Prosecutors said other individuals arrested in the operation were involved in smuggling items such as cellphones, car parts, and additional goods.
CNN reported that the indictment notes that the network included some Israeli reserve soldiers, as well as Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza.
The alleged chain of smuggling reportedly began with suppliers in the West Bank, passed through Israeli warehouses, and ultimately reached Gaza via Israeli military convoys, occasionally during operational activity.
At times, prosecutors said, the smuggling was disguised as serving an operational need.
The ring allegedly exploited a large-scale humanitarian effort that was intended to deliver aid and commercial goods into the conflict-stricken enclave.
The Shin Bet internal security service warned that such operations “pose a significant threat to the security of the State of Israel.” It said the smugglers’ actions directly aided Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
“They assist Hamas’s survivability and governance through profits from goods entering the Strip, contribute to Hamas’s empowerment and military build-up, and help refurbish its military production capabilities,” the statement said.
“They also create potential routes for smuggling weapons, technology, and equipment, as well as channels that could be used for offensive military activity against Israel and its forces.”
The indictment stated that the defendants and their partners “knew that the smuggled goods might reach terrorist elements, including Hamas or those acting on its behalf, and be used to help strengthen their power and to promote and finance their activity.”
The State Attorney’s Office added that the defendants “committed their acts for financial gain, knowing that by doing so they were bypassing the restrictions imposed by the State of Israel on the entry of goods into Gaza as part of the war effort, despite the clear security harm inherent in this activity.”
Assaf Klein, attorney for Bezalel Zini, defended his client, saying, “He is a man of great merit, whose concern for the good of the state has always been and will remain foremost in his industry.”
Bezalel Zini faces charges including bribery and assisting the enemy during wartime.
Authorities emphasized that there is no evidence linking the case against him to his brother, David Zini, who heads the Shin Bet and is not implicated in the investigation.
David Zini, a pick of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been one of the most controversial appointments in the agency’s history due to his lack of intelligence experience and what former Shin Bet officials described as his “extreme worldview.”
Zini was appointed directly from the Israel Defense Forces without prior service in the agency.
Because of the familial connection, Israeli police handled the investigation into Bezalel Zini, while other cases against the remaining defendants involved joint operations between the Shin Bet and Israel Police.
