Gaza Aid Permit Suspended After Tobacco Smuggling Bust

Authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of tobacco into the Gaza Strip. The tobacco was concealed inside dozens of cans labeled as containing grape leaves and was intercepted at the Kerem Shalom Border Crossing.

In light of the discovery's severity, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) ordered the immediate suspension of the involved company's permit to bring aid into Gaza. This decision underscores efforts to prevent the exploitation of the aid entry system for prohibited activities.

This incident follows a separate indictment involving Bezalel Zini, brother of the Shin Bet chief, and two others for allegedly smuggling prohibited goods, including tobacco and cigarettes, into Gaza during the ongoing conflict. Prosecutors claim these smuggling operations generated millions of shekels and materially benefited Hamas.