In July 2023, Israeli customs officials intercepted 16 tons of ammonium chloride hidden in containers of construction plaster at Ashdod port. The cargo was bound for Gaza and was stopped before it reached its destination, according to The Jerusalem Post’s report on the seizure.
How inspectors found the concealed cargo
The containers held 54 tons of plaster, within which inspectors found the ammonium chloride. The Israel Tax Authority said Gaza terror groups use the chemical in rocket manufacture. The Times of Israel report identifies the chemical, the concealment method, and the stated military concern.
This incident documents an attempted shipment of a specific material concealed in an otherwise commercial-looking cargo. It does not establish that every shipment of construction supplies or every dual-use chemical is intended for weapons. Ammonium chloride was identified by Israeli authorities as a material used by Gaza terror groups in rocket manufacture; that description should not be stretched into a claim that it is a universal rocket-fuel ingredient.
A specific case, not a general cargo rule
Dual-use materials can have civilian and military applications. In this case, the combination of a concealed chemical, the shipment’s declared destination, and the customs seizure provides a concrete example of an attempted transfer of rocket-related material to Gaza. The documented seizure complements the account of Hamas smuggling routes in the tunnel-network page.