Israel claims to have foiled attempt to smuggle weapons from Egypt

By Khaled Yousef and Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Israeli army claimed Tuesday to have intercepted a drone allegedly carrying weapons and ammunition from Egypt.

A military statement said that the drone was downed, and a subsequent scan uncovered that it was carrying 11 weapons and ammunition.

There was no immediate comment from Egypt on the Israeli claim.

The Israeli military made a similar allegation in late October 2024.

Egypt has been a vocal critic of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and has been, along with Qatar and the US, mediating a ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian enclave.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.