Israeli Spy Chief's Brother Smuggled Cigarettes Into Gaza, Earned Rs 1 Crore

Israeli authorities have arrested Bezalel Zini, the brother of David Zini, director of Israel's domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, on suspicion of smuggling illegal goods worth tens of thousands of dollars into the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war.

According to court documents, Zini and two other suspects are accused of trafficking prohibited items, including cigarettes, into the besieged territory. The three men are charged with assisting the enemy during wartime, along with fraud, bribery, and violations of Israel's counterterrorism laws.

Investigators say the alleged activities took place when humanitarian access to Gaza was severely limited and civilians faced acute shortages of basic necessities. 

Zini is accused of smuggling 14 crates of cigarettes into Gaza and earning about NIS 365,000 (approx. Rs 1.05 crore). Just a day earlier, authorities filed charges against 12 additional suspects in the case, several of whom are Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reservists, according to CNN.

"A central category of prohibited goods smuggled into the Strip was tobacco and cigarettes, which have put a total of hundreds of millions of shekels into Hamas' coffers since the start of the war," the ministry said.

Zini worked as an IDF reservist, heading logistics for forces doing demolition work in Gaza. His unit, called the Uriah Force, used heavy engineering and demolition equipment. Zini was charged alongside Aviel Ben David, another reservist from the same unit, and Amir Dov Halperin, a civilian acquaintance.

Prosecutors say David and Halperin smuggled cigarettes into Gaza five times. Both were paid NIS 15,000 (approx. Rs 4.35 lakh) for smuggling illegal goods such as iPhones, batteries, telecommunication cables and car parts.

The IDF has called smuggling into Gaza a major threat to Israel's national security. "If IDF personnel in the standing army or in reserve service are involved in these activities, the matter is even more severe," it said.

Zini's attorney, Assaf Klein, said his client is innocent of the charges. "He is a man of great merit, whose concern for the good of the state has always been and will remain foremost in his industry," he said in a statement.