Israel probes alleged bribery, smuggling at US-run Gaza reconstruction hub

Israeli military authorities are investigating allegations that senior criminal figures bribed foreign personnel at a US-run headquarters in the city of Kiryat Gat, which oversees matters related to Gaza’s reconstruction, in order to smuggle prohibited goods into the enclave.

According to i24NEWS, security officials suspect cooperation between Israeli criminals and foreign staff at the American facility. The alleged scheme involved smuggling goods into Gaza while diverting large sums of money into the hands of traffickers.    

The development follows indictments filed around two weeks ago in a separate smuggling case into Gaza, in which 12 individuals were charged with transporting goods worth 3.9 million shekels. In that case, cartons of cigarettes, iPhones, batteries, communication cables and car spare parts were reportedly smuggled into the territory.

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Prosecutors said the defendants in the earlier case — some of whom were reserve soldiers — acted in an organised and methodical manner, exploiting weaknesses at crossing points and in military activity in the area. Among those named was the brother of the head of Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, Bezalel Zini.

The Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat is operated by the United States Central Command under the leadership of General Patrick Frank. The facility reportedly includes around 200 American soldiers and is housed in a three-storey building about 30 kilometres north-east of Gaza. 

The Trump administration has appointed Stephen Fagin, a veteran diplomat who recently served as US ambassador to Yemen, as the centre’s civilian head.

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