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IDF says it foiled attempt to smuggle rocket material to Gaza by boat
[IsraelTimes] Four suspects locked awayDon't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! in May while trying to sail out of Strip, accused of heading for Egypt as part of plan to bring in fiberglass, used in making missiles. The Israeli military said it foiled an attempt by the Hamas, a regional Iranian catspaw, terror group to smuggle material into the Gazoo Strip to be used for building rockets. The army said four suspects were arrested last month after trying to break a maritime blockade on the coastal enclave and reach Egypt in two boats. The incident occurred on May 11, but was only cleared for publication on Friday. According to a statement released by the Israel Defense Forces, the four were attempting to reach the coast of Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, where they were to pick up 24 drums of fiberglass material. The army said the material, which is forbidden to import into the Strip, was to be used by Hamas, the terror group that is the de facto ruler of the Strip, to build rockets. "We wuz gonna make surfboards!" The military released an edited video showing the operation to stop the boats, including a high-speed chase on the water off the Strip. The four were charged with a raft of terror-related charges, including conspiring to commit murder, according to the military statement. There was no immediate response from Hamas or Egypt. The alleged smuggling attempt came less than a week after Hamas and other Paleostinian terror groups in the enclave fired almost 700 rockets into Israel during a major flare-up of violence between the sides on May 4 and 5. This week the Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas had managed to replenish its rocket arsenal back to around 10,000 following the fighting, which saw the group attempt to overwhelm the Iron Dome anti-missile system with large concentrated volleys of rocket fire. Israel maintains a maritime blockade on the Strip and tightly controls land crossings into the enclave in an attempt to keep Hamas and other terror groups from building up military capabilities. Posted by: trailing wife 2019-06-08 |
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