Police named the brother of Shin Bet Director David Zini as a key suspect in a wide-reaching smuggling case involving goods sent illegally from Israel into the Gaza Strip, after a gag order on the case was partially lifted Tuesday.
Bezalel Zini was arrested last month and remains in custody on suspicion of smuggling cigarettes into Gaza for personal financial gain. His identity had been withheld until now under a court-imposed gag order. A court has extended his detention at least through Thursday as the investigation continues.
Police filed a formal prosecutorial declaration against Zini earlier Tuesday, indicating that criminal charges are expected to be brought against him in the coming days, including assisting the enemy during wartime.
Due to his close family ties to the head of the Shin Bet, Zini was questioned by police and not by the Shin Bet. Law enforcement emphasized that the Shin Bet chief is not implicated in the case.
The suspects are part of a broader investigation into the alleged smuggling of millions of shekels' worth of goods from Israel into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The operation reportedly involved 16 suspects, with legal proceedings underway against 13 of them in a court in Ashkelon. Some of the suspects have been in custody for more than 40 days.
A planned indictment against the 13 individuals was delayed on Monday due to the need for further investigative work. The case, initially set to be heard in the Be’er Sheva District Court, was transferred to the Ashkelon Magistrates’ Court pending completion of the investigation.
Zini’s father, Rabbi Yosef Zini, defended his son and rejected the allegations leveled against him. “This is all fabricated, without any real concern," he told ynet. "They’re not targeting him — they’re going after his brother. Thank God the public understands this clearly.” Another relative, Shmuel, added: “The truth will come out.”
Judge Yaniv Ben Haroush of the Ashkelon Magistrates’ Court sought to temper public speculation, saying: “It’s important the public knows no tanks or drones were smuggled — otherwise, people believe what they read on social media. I’ve allowed publication of the nature of the suspicions in order to dispel the cloud surrounding the case.”
The smuggling case was initially described in vague terms by the media as a “new security affair,” fueling public speculation before the court permitted limited details to be published last week. At that time, it was confirmed that a relative of the Shin Bet chief was under investigation for involvement in the smuggling of goods into Gaza.
Attorneys involved in the case have suggested that investigators may be in possession of new evidence, potentially shifting the course of legal proceedings.