Material used for rocket production found in shipment from Turkey to Gaza: Report

A large quantity of material used for rocket production was found during an inspection of a shipment from Turkey headed to Gaza, Israel's customs authority said on Thursday.

The customs authority said it had stopped for inspection in July two containers carrying 54 tons of what were supposed to be bags of plaster.

A lab test confirmed some of the bags contained ammonium chloride, the authority added, which it said was used by groups in Gaza "to produce rockets."

The quantity of ammonium chloride amounts to 16 tons, according to the report.

The Hamas group that governs the Palestinian enclave dismissed the report as a fabrication.

Describing it as "lies," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said, "The occupation is forging lies as a pretext to tighten the blockade on Gaza."

Gaza is home to some 2.3 million Palestinians who live in one of the world's most densely populated areas. Since Hamas took over control of Gaza in 2007, Israel, together with Egypt, has maintained a blockade that has devastated the coastal enclave's economy.

Thousands of people have been killed in Gaza by Israeli attacks since 2006.

Photo: Israel's Customs Authority