Israeli military scrambles after major weapons theft

CAIRO - 17 September 2024: Israel has acknowledged the theft of 18 containers filled with military equipment and weapons from an army camp near the Gaza border, according to a report by Channel 14, a media outlet close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The report, released Monday evening, highlights a major security breach on Israel's southern front.

Israeli security agencies are now investigating how military-grade weapons have leaked from the Israeli army into the hands of Palestinian factions in Gaza and the West Bank. This follows the shocking discovery that Palestinian groups in Gaza have accumulated a substantial arsenal of Israeli weapons, in addition to the homemade arms they have been manufacturing in underground tunnels over the years.

This is not the first incident of military theft in recent years. Several cases of weapons and ammunition being stolen from Israeli army bases have been reported, with some Israeli officers and commanders allegedly involved in selling these stolen arms to criminal gangs. These gangs, in turn, act as intermediaries, smuggling the weapons to the West Bank, and eventually to Gaza.

Israeli security sources revealed to the local media that organized crime syndicates in Israel have received support and assistance from individuals inside military bases, including soldiers and guards. These syndicates are involved in selling the stolen arms and ammunition to Palestinian factions in the West Bank, where they are transported by covert means to Gaza.

In December of last year, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on over 300 incidents of gunfire targeting Israelis in the West Bank. These incidents often lead to the deaths of Palestinian fighters, which are followed by retaliatory attacks by their families or allies the next night.

Israeli media also reported a growing trend of Palestinian families, business owners, and traders seeking to arm themselves to protect their interests, particularly in anticipation of potential security vacuums or unrest caused by the ongoing Israeli occupation in the West Bank.