An indictment is set to be filed against two military officers and a civilian suspected of taking part in a paid smuggling operation into the Gaza Strip, according to a joint statement issued Tuesday by the ISA, Israel Police, and the IDF.
The investigation, conducted in recent weeks, focused on allegations that goods were smuggled into Gaza on humanitarian aid trucks for enormous sums.
Authorities say a Rahat resident, Nasser Abu Mustafa, allegedly used his connection with a reserve officer to initiate the scheme. After the two devised a plan, the reserve officer reportedly brought in a second officer serving in active duty to assist in carrying it out.
According to investigators, the group smuggled various prohibited items into Gaza, including hundreds of thousands of cigarettes and several mobile phones, generating significant profits.
Evidence gathered during the probe implicates both officers - a lieutenant colonel in active service and a reserve major - who are suspected of abusing their positions and access to sensitive information about the aid shipments. Investigators believe the operation took advantage of aid trucks that had been halted due to a malfunction on their way to Gaza, allowing the civilian suspect to hide the illicit goods inside while posing as a repair worker.