The State Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday filed charges against Bezalel Zini, the brother of Shin Bet chief David Zini, and two other defendants on charges of trafficking cigarettes into the Gaza Strip as part of a large-scale smuggling operation.

All three suspects face charges of aiding the enemy during wartime, a crime that can carry the death penalty or life imprisonment, along with fraud, bribery, and prohibited dealings of property for terror purposes.

Zini is accused of three smuggling runs involving about fourteen cartons of cigarettes through the Sufa Crossing, for which he received approximately 365,000 shekels. The second defendant allegedly led five smuggling runs, earning around 4.3 million shekels, and the third defendant was accused of five runs as well, receiving about 815,000 shekels

Zini, a 50-year-old reserve soldier, served as the logistics coordinator for the IDF’s Uriah Force and held entry permits for vehicle convoys entering the Gaza Strip. The second defendant was a reservist in the same unit, and the third was an acquaintance.

The indictment alleges that the defendants—along with several others—worked in various teams to smuggle cigarettes into Gaza and divided the profits. They allegedly deceived inspection officers at crossing points by posing as soldiers carrying out official security missions.

The indictment states that the defendants were aware that the smuggled goods could reach terror groups, including Hamas, and could be used to strengthen and finance their activities.

Defense lawyers for the suspects argued that the charge of aiding the enemy during wartime is unfounded, arguing that the case concerns the smuggling of cigarettes only and not weapons, ammunition, or military equipment.

They said the goods involved cannot reasonably be viewed as direct support for terrorist activity and that the prosecution’s effort to frame the alleged conduct as assistance to Hamas is exaggerated and lacks a solid legal basis.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)