Israeli security forces arrested two Israeli citizens from the central city of Lod and a Palestinian from the Nablus (Shechem) area on suspicion of smuggling ammunition to terrorists in Judea and Samaria, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Israel Police said on Thursday.
In a joint operation in recent weeks involving the Shin Bet and the Israel Police’s Central District, security forces detained Hamdan Abu Labda, 25, and Mohammed Hassan Khalil Amsa’ed, 25, both from Lod.
A third suspect, identified as Ahmad Awad, 33, a Palestinian from the village of Awarta near Nablus, was also arrested, the statement noted.
According to Thursday’s release, the criminal probe was launched after Amsa’ed was arrested while attempting to cross the Judea and Samaria security barrier with more than 500 M16 magazines.
During questioning by Shin Bet officials, Amsa’ed said that the ammunition was intended to reach Awad, who the agency said has ties to terror operatives in the area and helped them obtain weapons.
Abu Labda was said to have supplied the ammunition and weapon parts and worked together with Amsa’ed to transfer them to Awad in Samaria.
“The Shin Bet and Israel Police will continue to act resolutely to identify and thwart terrorist activity, and will take the measures at their disposal to bring to justice those involved in activities that endanger the security of the state and its citizens,” Thursday’s statement concluded.
Three months ago, Israel’s State Prosecutor’s Office indicted three Turks over their involvement in a plot to smuggle handguns into the Jewish state on behalf of an Iranian weapons supplier.
Oktay Asci, Rahman Gokyir and Yunus Ozel were indicted for weapons offenses for their role in a plot to smuggle the Iranian-supplied arms into Israel through the border with Jordan. The first suspect was also charged with attempting to provide means for carrying out terror.
The Islamic Republic continues its efforts to instigate terrorism in Judea and Samaria by flooding the area with weapons, The New York Times reported in April 2024, citing American, Israeli and Iranian officials.
The majority of the weapons smuggled into the region are small arms and assault rifles, analysts said. However, the U.S. and Israeli officials said that Tehran was also smuggling in more advanced weaponry, including anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.
