Brother of Shin Bet Chief Charged in Gaza Cigarette Smuggling Scheme
State prosecutors on Thursday filed indictments against Bezalel Zini, the brother of David Zini, along with two additional suspects, accusing them of operating as part of a large-scale network that smuggled cigarettes into the Gaza Strip during the war.
All three defendants were charged with aiding the enemy in wartime, as well as fraud and bribery offenses, in addition to violations of Israel’s counterterrorism statutes. A day earlier, prosecutors brought charges against 12 other alleged members of the same ring, among them several IDF reservists.
The Shin Bet said Wednesday that over the course of the fighting — and “and even more so since the beginning of the ceasefire” — Hamas has sought to rebuild its military strength and consolidate control in Gaza using funds generated through smuggled merchandise.
According to the indictments, during August and September 2025 the suspects trafficked 26 crates of cigarettes into Gaza, with an estimated total value of NIS 3.9 million ($1.25 million). Prosecutors said this shipment represented only a fraction of the illegal activity carried out by the group.
Zini, who served as an IDF reservist responsible for logistics for demolition forces in Gaza, is accused of exploiting his access to the Strip to smuggle 14 crates of cigarettes from Israel into Gaza over three separate trips, netting roughly NIS 365,000 ($117,405).
He was indicted in the Beersheba District Court together with Aviel Ben David, another reservist from his unit, and Amir Dov Halperin, an associate of Ben David. Prosecutors allege the three participated in cigarette smuggling operations on five occasions.
Court documents state that Zini commanded a team within the IDF’s Gaza Division that operated heavy engineering machinery in the Strip, a role that authorized him to escort convoys of equipment into Gaza.
According to the charges, both Zini and Ben David received NIS 15,000 ($4,800) each for their participation. Prosecutors said Menachem Abutbul, who was indicted on Wednesday, transferred the contraband near Kibbutz Sufa into Zini’s vehicle, after which Zini and Ben David drove into Gaza and unloaded the goods.
Authorities said an additional 13 suspects are expected to face indictments in the coming days.
Investigators allege the smuggling ring brought a wide range of items into Gaza, including cigarettes, iPhones, batteries, telecommunications cables and vehicle parts, with a combined value running into the millions of shekels. Some of the items are categorized as “dual-use,” meaning they could be repurposed by Hamas for terror-related activities.
David Zini, the Shin Bet chief, is not suspected of any involvement in the affair. The investigation is being handled by the Israel Police rather than the Shin Bet because of the familial connection to one of the suspects.
During the war, Israel prohibited the entry of cigarettes and other tobacco products into Gaza, citing concerns that smuggled goods command high prices on the black market and generate significant tax revenue for Hamas.
In indictments filed Wednesday against other alleged participants, prosecutors said the defendants acted “to smuggle prohibited goods into the Strip in a systematic and sophisticated manner, exploiting vulnerabilities at crossing points and military activity in the area, while presenting false representations of entry into the Strip as part of legitimate security activity.”
“Smuggling constitutes a significant threat to the security of the State of Israel, as it assists Hamas’s survival and governance,” the Shin Bet said. “It also poses a threat stemming from the possibility of using smuggling routes as a platform to advance offensive military activity in Israel and against our forces in the Gaza Strip.”
{Matzav.com}
