Brother of Shin Bet Chief Indicted Over Gaza Cigarette Smuggling
Bezalel Zini is charged with 'aiding the enemy in wartime' after allegedly smuggling 14 cartons (7,000 packets) of cigarettes into Gaza for 365,000 shekels.
Overview
A Jerusalem court indicted Bezalel Zini, 50, on charges of 'aiding the enemy in wartime,' fraud and bribery after prosecutors allege he smuggled 14 cartons (7,000 packets) of cigarettes into Gaza for 365,000 shekels, according to an indictment published Thursday.
The indictment is part of a wider probe that prosecutors say began in summer 2025 and alleges the network funneled 'hundreds of millions of shekels' to Hamas through sales of tobacco, mobile phones and car parts, a justice ministry statement said.
Bezalel Zini, a military reservist who served with the 'Uriah' logistics team and who was arrested two weeks ago, denied the charges through his defence lawyers, who said applying wartime terrorism statutes to cigarette smuggling is inappropriate, Haaretz reported.
At least 13 other people have been indicted in the investigation, prosecutors said, and authorities allege the ring smuggled brand-new iPhones, batteries, car parts and other goods into Gaza alongside tobacco.
The justice ministry said it has filed a request to seize Zini's vehicles, real estate and money, and officials confirmed court proceedings will decide whether prosecutors can prove the alleged 'assisting the enemy' offences.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the indictment straightforwardly, relying on legal filings and prosecutor statements while supplying context (Gaza’s aid restrictions, cigarette ban, soaring prices) and noting denials and that the Shin Bet chief isn’t implicated. The coverage favors factual detail and official sourcing over partisan language or omitted viewpoints, yielding a neutral account.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Bezalel Zini, 50, is an IDF reservist who served as commander of the 'Uriah' logistics team operating heavy engineering equipment in Gaza, and he is the brother of Shin Bet chief David Zini.
Bezalel Zini faces charges of aiding the enemy during wartime, fraud, bribery, prohibited dealings in property for terror purposes, and offenses under counterterrorism laws for smuggling 14 cartons of cigarettes into Gaza on three occasions, earning NIS 365,000.[1]
The smuggling ring trafficked cigarettes, iPhones, batteries, car parts, telecommunications cables, and other items worth millions of shekels; prosecutors allege tobacco sales funneled hundreds of millions of shekels to Hamas.[1]
At least 15 people have been indicted so far, including Bezalel Zini and two others on Thursday, 12 suspects and a company on Wednesday, with more expected.
The probe began in summer 2025; Zini was indicted Thursday in Jerusalem or Beersheba court, with prosecutors requesting seizure of his assets, and he denies the charges.
History
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