It became publicly known only yesterday, but the army has been investigating over the course of the past few weeks allegations of soldiers' "looting" during Operation Defensive Shield weapons searches four months ago. Deputy Chief Military Prosecutor Col. Ilan Katz said that there had been isolated cases of looting, and sentences in some of the cases were handed down as early as over a month ago. He said that the sentences include time in military prison, "as well as a criminal record that will accompany [the guilty soldiers] all their lives." An IDF statement says that the army "views such incidents with great severity, and instructs its soldiers on the importance of human dignity and respecting property." Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau also had strong words against those guilty of looting.