Senior IDF Bedouin Battalion Commanders Suspected of Smuggling Millions in Goods into Gaza

Senior commanders in the IDF's Bedouin Battalion are suspected of exploiting their positions near the Gaza border to facilitate the smuggling of goods worth approximately 200 million shekels into the Gaza Strip. The large-scale smuggling operation took place in late November near the Kerem Shalom crossing, involving two heavily loaded trucks each carrying goods valued at around 100 million shekels. According to suspicions, the commanders, including the deputy battalion commander, stood to gain millions of shekels, while Hamas profited tens of millions from taxes on the smuggled goods.

Exclusive footage revealed by Channel 12's "Central Edition" shows soldiers from the battalion securing the trucks as they entered Gaza. The deputy battalion commander instructed troops not to delay the trucks, falsely claiming the cargo was linked to a secret Shin Bet operation. Recordings from a military vehicle capture his orders to soldiers to move quickly and keep weapons ready. During the operation, jeeps from Gaza entered the area, and a soldier who had been suspicious of the activities began documenting the smuggling.

The footage also captures the deputy commander ordering forces to clear the area and telling a soldier to stop filming, with the soldier responding that he would remain silent but felt constrained. Following the exposure, eight commanders and soldiers from the battalion have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in various smuggling incidents. One of the trucks reportedly carried steel balls used for manufacturing explosives. The trucks successfully reached Gaza, and those implicated remain in custody. However, authorities cannot yet guarantee that similar smuggling operations are not ongoing.