Israeli prosecutors have charged the brother of the head of the country's intelligence agency, Shin Bet, with 'aiding the enemy in wartime' by allegedly smuggling cigarettes into Gaza. An indictment against Bezalel Zini published on Thursday argues he was aware that Hamas might profit from the resale of cigarettes and tobacco at inflated prices. Zini, 50, a reservist on active duty in the Israeli military, is said to have smuggled 14 cartons of cigarettes—7,000 individual packets—in exchange for a total of 365,000 shekels ($117,000; £86,000). His brother, the recently appointed Shin Bet chief David Zini, is not suspected of any wrongdoing. The charges are part of a wider set of indictments against over a dozen individuals, alleging that an organized crime ring smuggled brand new, top-end iPhones, car parts, and other electronics into Gaza. The indictment alleges that the sale of smuggled tobacco and cigarettes alone contributed 'hundreds of millions of shekels into Hamas's coffers since the start of the war.' Prosecutors say the smuggling operation began in the summer of 2025, with allegations that smugglers misled Israeli soldiers at border crossings by pretending to be on military duties. Zini's indictment also includes charges of fraud, receiving a bribe, and tax offenses. He denies the charges, arguing that the application of a terrorism law for cigarette smuggling is inappropriate.