Israel thwarts ‘drone smuggling attempt’ inside truck carrying toys to Gaza
Israel has seized a truck carrying toys to the Gaza Strip, claiming that inside the shipment destined for Palestinian kids suspects had hidden a number of drones equipped with high-quality cameras allegedly being smuggled to spy on security personnel.
Israel's Ministry of Defense announced that the country's Transfer Authority, which monitors all aid shipment into Gaza, with the help of the Israel Security Agency (ISA) prevented the smuggling of tens of drones into Gaza at the Kerem Shalom crossing last week.
סיכול הברחת רחפנים לרצועת עזההבודקים הביטחוניים של רשות המעברים סיכלו לאחרונה ניסיון הברחה של רחפנים שנועדו על פי החשד...
Posted by משרד הביטחון on Sunday, February 21, 2016
The interception of remotely controlled multi-rotor devices has been hailed as a big success, as according to authorities the drones of different styles and sizes were intended for “suspected terrorist use,” as they had been equipped with high definition cameras.
הבודקים הביטחוניים של רשות המעברים במעבר כרם שלום, יחד עם השב"כ, סיכלו באחרונה ניסיון הברחה של רחפנים לעזה, שיועדו>> pic.twitter.com/hEbVeYzbFz
— משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) February 21, 2016
The IDF believes Hamas intended to use the amateur drones to gather intelligence information on the movement of IDF forces on the ground. The shipment was confiscated and an investigation was opened into the smuggling attempt.
The ministry also said that it was not the first drone smuggling attempt that was prevented by Israeli authorities lately.
