On Wednesday, an Israeli news outlet reported a concerning surge in incidents where military personnel are stealing weapons under he guise of war.
Despite the weapons having serial numbers, the lack of proper accounting during conflict situations facilitates military personnels taking grenades and missiles for personal use or selling them to criminal organisations.
In Gaza, Israel has killed more than 29,000 since October 7, when Hamas forces retaliated to decades long occupational crimes committed by Israel in Palestine. Despite international condemnations, Israel is not stopping genocide in the besieged Gaza.
KAN channel, affiliated with the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, expressed alarm over the growing trend of theft involving weapons and ammunition within the Israeli army, particularly in the context of ongoing conflicts.
Roi Sharon, the military correspondent for the channel, highlighted the worry within the Israeli military about the potential transfer of stolen high-explosive hand grenades and anti-tank missiles to groups in the West Bank or Gaza Strip.
Sharon noted the challenges in tracking these weapons due to the chaos of war and continuous supply operations. Despite the weapons having serial numbers, the lack of proper accounting during conflict situations facilitates military personnels taking grenades and missiles for personal use or selling them to criminal organisations.
The report mentioned a recent incident where a Palestinian man from East Jerusalem was arrested in northern Israel with a Matador anti-tank missile, commonly used by the army in Gaza. Additionally, there have been instances of groups using modern army-issue hand grenades within a short span.
Fearing the spread of these weapons to the West Bank, the Israeli army plans to intensify inspection operations at crossings and checkpoints. Recent discoveries, such as three stolen hand grenades found in the possession of Israeli criminals near Haifa, have heightened concerns. Over the past years, the Israeli army has disclosed multiple cases of weapons and ammunition theft committed by soldiers within military bases.
