IDF armored vehicle (archive photo)
Photo: Tsafrir Abayov
IDF troops suspected of Gaza looting
Armored vehicle returning from operation to locate weapons smuggling tunnels in Gaza carries in it refrigerator, number of chairs, mats
Military Police have detained four soldiers suspected of looting after an IDF armored vehicle returning from an operation to locate weapons-smuggling tunnels in Gaza carried in it a refrigerator, a number of chairs and a few mats.
On Tuesday the remand of two soldiers was extended and the two others will be brought before a judge Wednesday morning.
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The Signal Corps soldiers explained to an inquiring officer that they had taken the equipment from an empty building in Gaza.
Later it was revealed that two Givati Brigade soldiers also took furniture from the same deserted building.
Odelia Amos, the attorney for the two Signal Corps soldiers, said they had acted in good faith and had no intention of stealing; the building the equipment was taken from was deserted and the equipment itself was broken, she added.
IDF sources said the soldiers were unaware of the severity of their actions and were certain the equipment did not belong to local Palestinians.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in response “looting is a very serious offense and it has no place in the IDF.”
