How Gold Plated iPhone 17 Pros (and Captagon) are Getting into Gaza

Israeli police have thwarted a sophisticated smuggling attempt aimed at arming Hamas terrorists with cutting-edge iPhones and potent drugs, hidden ingeniously inside a truck's spare tire. The bust, captured in exclusive footage, reveals how luxury gadgets like the brand-new iPhone 17 are flooding into the war-torn Gaza Strip, fetching astronomical prices, as reported by Times of Israel.

The drama unfolded on November 26 during "Operation New Order," a sweeping crackdown led by the Southern District of the police, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and the police commissioner. Hundreds of officers, Border Guard fighters, and special units descended on the Negev, targeting Bedouin settlements. Spotting a suspicious garbage evacuation truck exiting one such area, marked with an IDF service sign and bound for Gaza, officers pulled it over.

What they uncovered was a hidden trove worth millions of shekels: 10 sealed iPhone 17 Pro Max devices, Captagon pills (the same stimulants used by Hamas's Nukhba terrorists during the October 7 massacre), and other hard drugs including MDMA, doses, and cocaine.

"Give it slowly, slowly," officers instructed as they carefully sawed open the spare tire, revealing the contraband in heart-pounding footage aired by Kan News. Each iPhone, valued at around 35,000 shekels per unit in Gaza, was destined straight for Hamas operatives, according to initial investigations. The two suspects, 30-something residents of the Bedouin city of Rahat, were arrested on the spot but have steadfastly maintained their right to silence.

This seizure isn't isolated. Just earlier in the week, another truck loaded with ATV parts was intercepted moments before reaching Hamas hands. Police sources warn that Gaza's entry points have become a "platform" for smugglers exploiting legitimate aid convoys. "Many trucks piggyback on the legitimate entry into the Strip," explained a police spokesperson in the report by Itzik Zuaretz. "We know these materials end up with terrorist organizations, serving their activists inside."

Even as the Rafah crossing remains closed and the Philadelphi Corridor under Israeli control, smuggling persists with versatile tactics. The operation has already yielded weapons seizures and dozens of arrests in the Bedouin dispersion, with vows to expand until governance is restored in the Negev.

Meanwhile, Channel 12 reports paint a stark picture of Gaza's black market booming. iPhone 17 devices, including lavish gold-plated models, are being hawked at exorbitant prices after slipping through recently opened border crossings. Gazan merchants reportedly snagged shipments before the phones even hit Israeli shelves, with prices soaring to NIS 10,000 ($3,000) initially before settling at NIS 6,500-7,500 ($2,000-2,300), double or more the NIS 3,000-5,200 ($900-1,600) cost in Israel.

Online videos circulating show Gazan shops boldly promoting their stock to eager buyers, a surreal contrast to the tent encampments where many Palestinians endure hardships more than two years into the conflict. Yet, a wealthier elite in the Strip continues to snap up high-end luxuries, fueling questions about how these goods evade scrutiny.

Residents in Bedouin areas are crying out for action. "The residents here, even in the Bedouin settlements, you don't know how many come to me and say, 'Make order, make order,'" noted Minister Ben Gvir in the Kan report. "Let's make order."

As investigations deepen, this bust highlights the relentless battle against terror financing and smuggling networks. With hundreds of trucks entering Gaza daily, authorities stress: "Everything that shouldn't enter can be hidden in these trucks, but we're here to check and ensure it doesn't." The fight for security rages on, one tire at a time.