Israel Seizes Drones being Smuggled into Gaza

10 reconnaissance drones were found hidden inside a bag on a minibus at the Erez border crossing, according to the Israel Defense Ministry.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli authorities intercepted 10 reconnaissance drones that were being smuggled into Gaza, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The ministry said it suspected that the drones were being delivered to Gaza terror groups.

According to the ministry, the drones were hidden inside a bag on a minibus at the Erez border crossing. As the bus was being inspected, a trained guard dog identified a suspicious package inside a bag and signaled to its handlers by sitting on the bag.

The ministry did not specify if any passengers on the minibus were arrested.

The Erez crossing, at the northern end of the Gaza Strip, is the only crossing point for pedestrian traffic between Israel and Gaza. It is primarily used by diplomats, aid workers, journalists and also Palestinians with permits to leave Gaza, usually for medical treatment.

Since Hamas seized control of the Gaza in 2007, Israel has foiled numerous attempts to smuggle weapons and military equipment into the Strip.

Palestinian terror groups in Gaza have been seeking to weaponize drones against Israel. In May 2020, Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a video of a drone flying into Israeli air space and unsuccessfully trying to drop a bomb onto an Israeli tank.

Later that same month, Hamas attached a rocket propelled grenade launcher to a drone, flew it across the border and fired at an Israel tank. The grenade failed to explode and the Israel Defense Forces shot down the drone.

In 2016, Mohamed Zouari, a Tunisian aerospace engineer helping Hamas develop unmanned aerial aircraft was assassinated in his hometown of Sfax. The drive-by shooting is widely attributed to the Mossad.