A man has been indicted in Israel for impersonating a soldier and stealing weapons, ammunition and military equipment during the army’s invasion of the besieged Gaza Strip. The indictment was filed on Sunday.
It names Roi Yifrach, 35, who has never served in the military. He is alleged to have infiltrated the army units invading Gaza and stolen military equipment, including weapons, ammunition and sensitive communications equipment.
Yifrach spent time in Gaza during Israel’s war against the Palestinians. He was even photographed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant at assembly areas in the south of the occupation state between 7 October and his arrest on 17 December, while apparently using fake identities to pose as a combat soldier.
Going to southern Israel on 7 October, Yifrach presented himself alternately as a combat soldier from elite units, a bomb disposal expert, and a member of the Shin Bet internal security service, explained the indictment. After his arrest, police officers found large amounts of weapons, grenades, magazines of bullets, walkie-talkies, a drone, uniforms and other military equipment in his possession.
The five counts against him, including aggravated fraud and larceny, could lead to a maximum prison sentence of 36 years.
Four other people were also detained in connection with the thefts, including a police officer. The four were released to house arrest while the police officer was suspended from duty.
According to data released by the Knesset in 2020, there are some 400,000 illegal weapons circulating in Israel, the vast majority of which are believed to have been stolen from the army and police.