Criminals stole from a storage facility in Israel’s north some 800 cellular phones that authorities had seized from Gazans at the Kerem Shalom border crossing, Israel’s Channel 14 reported on Wednesday.
The Shin Bet security service neither confirmed nor denied the report in a statement made to the television channel, which focused on concerns raised that the phones had belonged to Hamas terrorists tied to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas invasion into Israel.
“The phones of Hamas terrorists seized on Oct. 7 are in secure IDF and Shin Bet facilities and not in the location described in your request,” Shin Bet told Channel 14.
Police confirmed the existence of an investigation into a break-in at a northern storage facility servicing security services but declined to comment beyond that, according to the report.
The break-in happened about two weeks ago, the channel reported. The facility targeted was used by contractors working with Israel Police and the Shin Bet to store confiscated items, evidence and property seized from organized crime and terrorist groups, the report said.
The burglars left many valuables and focused exclusively on the mobile phones, which had been transferred there from the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza, according to the report.
Police said the warehouse owner filed a complaint and that detectives are pursuing “all necessary investigative actions in order to uncover the truth,” but declined to elaborate.
