The IDF has opened a probe after new ATVs were smuggled into Gaza and publicly displayed in Deir al‑Balah, a Walla report says. Officials say the vehicles entered via gates in the border fence—not the Kerem Shalom Crossing—and no authorization was given. The incident has sharpened criticism of gate procedures and the Military Police's enforcement in the Gaza Division.
IDF Opens Probe After New ATVs Are Smuggled Into Gaza and Paraded in Deir al‑Balah
Illustrative: A man performs stunts with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on sand dunes near destroyed buildings in the Zahra neighbourhood, southwest of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, on February 6, 2026. (photo credit: Eyad Baba / AFP via Getty Images)
The Israel Defense Forces have launched an investigation after new all‑terrain vehicles (ATVs) unexpectedly appeared in Deir al‑Balah and were later driven in public, a Walla report said on Friday citing military sources.
According to the report, Palestinians managed to bring the ATVs into the Gaza Strip without authorization and then showcased them in Deir al‑Balah, where locals performed stunts. IDF officials said no permission was granted for the transfer of the vehicles and that the suspected smuggling is now the subject of an active probe.
Authorities concluded the ATVs did not pass through the official Kerem Shalom Crossing. Instead, investigators say the vehicles were moved through gates in the border fence that are overseen by the IDF and the Military Police, prompting questions about procedures at those access points.
A man performs stunts with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on sand dunes near destroyed buildings in the Zahra neighbourhood, southwest of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, on February 6, 2026. (credit: Eyad Baba / AFP via Getty Images)
A man performs stunts on an all‑terrain vehicle across sand dunes near destroyed buildings in the Zahra neighbourhood, southwest of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, on February 6, 2026. (Credit: Eyad Baba / AFP via Getty Images)
Concerns Over Gate Procedures and Enforcement
The episode has intensified criticism of the Military Police's conduct in the Gaza Division, particularly regarding checks at several gates along the border fence. Critics say both civilian contractors and military personnel moving through those gates are not always subjected to sufficiently thorough inspections.
There have also been complaints about weak enforcement of traffic rules and reckless driving on roads near the border. Some security sources say enforcement resources are not being used effectively at gate locations.
"The Gaza Division needs to increase enforcement together with the Military Police," a security source said.
"Soldiers are sitting in air‑conditioned police vehicles instead of checking every vehicle entering and leaving Gaza. When they are asked what they are doing at the gate, they say they are supposed to prevent looting on the Palestinian side," the source added.
The IDF has not yet released details about the status of the investigation or whether any disciplinary or operational changes will follow. The probe aims to determine how the ATVs were brought in, who facilitated the transfer, and whether procedures or personnel failures contributed to the breach.
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