The State Prosecutor’s Office has filed two additional indictments with the Be’er Sheva District Court in a serious case involving organized, systematic, and sophisticated smuggling of goods into the Gaza Strip in exchange for financial gain.
According to the indictments, the suspects acted while being aware that the prohibited goods could reach the Hamas terrorist organization and that their actions were likely to assist Hamas in its war against Israel. As a result, they are charged, among other offenses, with aiding the enemy in time of war.
The primary goods smuggled were tobacco products and cigarettes, which prosecutors say have generated hundreds of millions of shekels for Hamas since the start of the war, enabling the organization to maintain economic viability and governing control in Gaza.
One indictment was filed against Bezalel Zini (50) of Ofra, a reservist who served as the logistics coordinator for “Force Oria" and held permits for vehicle convoys entering Gaza. A second indictment was filed against Aviel Ben David (31) of Kiryat Gat, a reservist in the same unit, and Amir Dov Halperin (38), an associate of Ben David.
The indictments state that the defendants, together with others, smuggled cartons of cigarettes worth millions of shekels by misleading soldiers at Gaza crossings and falsely presenting their entry as required for military and security purposes.
Prosecutors allege that Zini carried out three smuggling operations in return for 365,000 shekels, Halperin participated in five operations for approximately 4.3 million shekels, and Ben David took part in five operations for about 815,000 shekels.
In addition to aiding the enemy in time of war, the defendants are charged with offenses including prohibited actions involving property for terrorist purposes, aggravated fraud, bribery, tax offenses, and violations of the Counter-Terrorism Law. The prosecution has also requested forfeiture of their assets.
Defense attorneys for the suspects argued that the accusations of aiding the enemy in time of war are baseless, claiming the case involves only the smuggling of cigarettes and not weapons or military equipment.
According to the defense, the goods in question do not constitute direct assistance to terrorist activity, and the prosecution’s attempt to link the alleged offenses to aiding Hamas is exaggerated and legally unsound.