Spectacular break-ins at bank safes in Gaza, tens of millions of euros were stolen / Hamas would also be involved

Palestinian armed groups, including one claiming to be part of the Islamist organization Hamas, stole a total of 66 million euros from the safes of several bank branches in Gaza last month, Le Monde and AFP reported on Saturday.

The French daily had access to a document sent by the Bank of Palestine “to certain international partners”, which described the spectacular break-ins, including one at its main branch in Gaza City.

On April 16, employees “noticed that a hole had been made in the vault’s ceiling,” the newspaper explained, adding that “criminals seized ATM cash registers containing the equivalent of 2.8 million euros in Israeli shekels.”

Hamas would also be involved

The very next morning, April 17, “armed groups” armed with explosives entered the building again, writes Le Monde.

This time to blow up the cement shell poured the day before to protect the money and they opened three safes, “taking the equivalent of 29 million euros in various currencies.”

On April 18, a second branch, the largest in the city center, was attacked by a “commando” of men who claimed to be “from the highest authorities in Gaza,” a term referring to Hamas, as the newspaper points out, and they left “with the equivalent of 33.6 million euros in Israeli shekels”.

The Israeli military has also seized significant amounts from Gaza

The Israeli army also seized “a significant amount of money belonging to the institution” from the enclave, according to Le Monde.

Israeli media “reported in February that the amount seized amounted to several tens of millions of dollars and that the operation was aimed at preventing Hamas from getting hold of this amount.”

Customers at ATMs are “charged” by masked men

Le Monde also describes how the war has made it difficult for the Bank of Palestine to keep cash safe and for Gazans to obtain cash.

“Only two ATMs still work, in Rafah and Deir Al-Balah (south), when they have electricity,” the newspaper points out.

Moreover, “according to the testimonies of some residents of Gaza, corroborated with the recordings of the surveillance cameras, masked armed men threaten customers in front of the ATMs, demanding a percentage of their withdrawals”, explains the newspaper.