Israel arms ‘criminal gangs' in Gaza: Ex-defense minister

Israel is arming “criminal gangs” in the war-torn Gaza Strip, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Thursday.

"Israel transferred assault rifles and light weapons to criminal gangs in Gaza,” Lieberman, leader of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu Party, told the public broadcaster KAN.

He said the weapons were transferred to the gangs upon orders of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“In my opinion, the Cabinet hasn't approved the transfer of weapons, but the head of the General Security Service (Shin Bet) was aware,” he added.

“We are talking about what is equivalent to ISIS (Daesh) in Gaza. No one guarantees that these weapons will not be directed at Israel. We have no means of monitoring or tracking,” Lieberman said.

According to KAN, Netanyahu's office did not deny arming groups in Gaza.

“Israel is working to defeat Hamas through various means, based on the recommendations of all the heads of the security establishment,” the office said in its response to KAN.

Shin Bet refused to comment on Lieberman's statements.

Israeli media earlier reported the rise of “armed criminal groups” in Gaza that attack Palestinians under Israeli army protection.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 54,600 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

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.