ISA-MOD Press Release: Attempt to Smuggle Explosives into Israel Foiled
(Communicated by the ISA and the Ministry of Defense)

The following has been cleared for publication:

This morning (Wednesday, 19 April 2017), at Erez Crossing, Defense Ministry
Crossings Authority security inspectors seized explosives used in the
production of IEDs.

The explosives were hidden in tubes labelled "medical materials."

The tubes were found during a security inspection, at the crossing, of the
tools of two sisters, residents of the Gaza Strip, and were dealt with by
Israel Police sappers.

The sisters' entry into Israel had been approved in order that one could
receive treatment for the cancer from which she suffers.

A preliminary ISA investigation revealed that the explosives were sent by
Hamas. It is believed that they were to be used in Hamas terrorist attacks
in the near future.

The foregoing attests to the ongoing efforts by terrorist organizations
based in the Gaza Strip, especially Hamas, to exploit Israel's humanitarian
initiatives and the medical assistance that it provides to residents of the
Gaza Strip, in order to perpetrate attacks in Israel.

The ISA investigation of the two sisters is continuing.

Defense Ministry Crossings Authority Director Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Kamil Abu
Rokon commended the Erez Crossing security inspectors for thwarting the
smuggling of explosives into Israel. "To our regret, it has been proven
again that Gaza Strip-based terrorists are continuing their efforts to
exploit the humanitarian channel in order to carry out attacks in Israel.
The security inspectors acted exactly as expected, with exemplary
professionalism," he said.