Israeli intelligence chief's brother charged with smuggli...

What’s Happening

Let’s talk about Bezalel Zini, an Israeli military reservist on active duty, is accused of smuggling 14 cartons of cigarettes in exchange for $117,000.

Israeli intelligence chiefs brother charged with smuggling cigarettes into Gaza 37 minutes ago Save Joel Gunter Jerusalem Save NurPhoto via A Palestinian man sells cigarettes in central Gaza (file photo) Israeli prosecutors have charged the brother of the head of the countrys intelligence agency, Shin Bet, with “aiding the enemy in wartime” cigarettes into Gaza. An indictment against Bezalel Zini Thursday argues he was aware that Hamas might profit from the resale of cigarettes and tobacco at inflated prices. (it feels like chaos)

Zini, 50, a reservist on active duty in the Israeli military, is dropped to have smuggled 14 cartons of cigarettes - 7,000 individual packets - in exchange for a total of 365,000 shekels ($117,000; £86,000).

The Details

His brother, the just appointed Shin Bet chief David Zini, is not suspected of any wrongdoing. Israel has tightly controlled the flow of humanitarian aid and other goods into Gaza during the conflict with Hamas.

The charges are part of a wider set of indictments against more than a dozen individuals, alleging that an organised crime ring smuggled brand new, top-end iPhones, car parts, and other electronics into Gaza. The sale of smuggled tobacco and cigarettes alone put “hundreds of millions of shekels into Hamass coffers since the start of the war”, the indictment alleges.

Why This Matters

Prosecutors say the smuggling operation began in the summer of 2025, before the ceasefire in October, when the fighting was still raging in the strip. They say the smugglers pretended they were entering Gaza as part of their military duties, misleading Israeli soldiers on the border crossing points. The indictment against Bezalel Zini also accuses him of fraud, receiving a bribe, and tax offences.

This is part of the larger geopolitical picture unfolding right now.

The Bottom Line

The indictment against Bezalel Zini also accuses him of fraud, receiving a bribe, and tax offences. He was arrested two weeks ago along with two alleged accomplices, who were also charged with smuggling.

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