ZAKA volunteer steals Hamas rocket launcher from Gaza border town

A ZAKA volunteer with a clean record was arrested Sunday for stealing an RPG launcher, a machine gun, a Kalashnikov, and ammunition and taking them home while volunteering in Be'eri after the October 7 massacre.

The suspect admitted to the act during a bail hearing.

The suspect's attorney, Moshe Salton, claimed that the guns were not functional and were not dangerous.

"I do not deem it to meet the criteria of a weapon capable of causing harm," said the defense lawyer.

"The ZAKA commander reached out to me and asked me to represent the suspect in court. According to him, the ZAKA volunteer worked tirelessly for almost two months, finding bodies with his bare hands and assisting authorities in any way possible. In a moment of foolishness, he took the weapons and ammo, mistakenly considering them as souvenirs."

Court orders ZAKA volunteer who stole guns, rocket launcher to be released on bail

At the end of the hearing, the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court ordered the suspect's release under stringent conditions, prohibiting any direct or indirect contact with the implicated parties.

Judge Limor Khaled-Ron expressed perplexity at the police's decision to arrest the suspect and criticized their lack of sensitivity in handling the case. "The police should have acted promptly to secure his release yesterday," she stated. "Considering the exceptional circumstances of this case, the police need to exercise sensitivity in their duties. Regrettably, that was not what happened this time."

The Israel Police released a statement, saying, "This investigation pertains to the discovery of a machine gun, a Kalashnikov, an RPG launcher, and a box of ammunition that were unlawfully removed from the conflict zone in the South and unlawfully held. Based on the investigation's findings, the court ordered the suspect's detainment under restrictive conditions, while the investigation remains ongoing."