A joint investigation by the Lahish District Police and the Military Police has led to the arrest of an IDF reservist from Netivot, suspected of illegally trading and possessing weapons. A Kalashnikov, a sniper rifle, and ammunition were found in his home. Investigators are probing whether the arms were taken from captured stockpiles during the fighting in Gaza or from equipment collected after the October 7 attacks, according to the police.
The Lahish District Police and the IDF's Military Police arrested an IDF reservist from Netivot on Friday afternoon, seizing from his home a Kalashnikov, a sniper rifle, and ammunition. Investigators are probing whether the weapons were taken from captured stockpiles during fighting in Gaza or from equipment collected after the October 7 attacks, according to police.
The arrest was first reported by The Zioneer at Fri 08:42 Jerusalem, with initial reports noting the seizure of the weapons and that security forces were investigating their origin in relation to the October 7 attacks. By the same time, a subsequent version of the report flagged the case as a serious suspicion, and a later update identified the suspect as an active reservist and specified that the arrest took place in Netivot. The current dispatch from law enforcement provides the most detailed public account to date, including the joint police-MP investigation and the alternative lead concerning captured Gaza stockpiles.
As The Zioneer has previously reported, police and military police have been conducting multiple arms seizures across Israel in recent weeks, including raids in Ramla, Kafr Kanna, Shaab, Nahaf, Umm al-Fahm, and Jerusalem. These operations have yielded hundreds of rounds of ammunition, rifles, grenades, and other equipment, often resulting in arrests of local residents. The Netivot case is distinct in its connection to both the October 7 attacks and potential battlefield seizure.
It remains unclear whether the weapons were taken during the October 7 attacks, from captured stockpiles during the fighting in Gaza, or from an unrelated source. The suspect has been transferred to the Military Police Investigative Unit for further questioning, and no indictment has been filed at this stage.
5 developments
- DevelopingArrest of Kafr Kanna resident leads to multi-suspect weapons cache discovery
- StrongUndercover Border Police detain two Hamas operatives in Nablus, seize weapons cache
- StrongPolice seize over 800 military rounds, weapon parts in Ramla, arrest suspect
- DevelopingPolice chase, weapon seizure and arrest in the Galilee village of Nahaf
Source and signal
- Internal intake