Israeli border control officials thwarted the attempted smuggling of 15 tons of sulfuric acid to the Gaza Strip last week.

The acrid smell of the shipment, which was recorded officially as 30 tons of paint thinner, aroused the suspicion of Shin Bet and customs officials at the Nitzana border crossing with Egypt. At least half of the shipment, it turned out, was sulfuric acid.

The truck carrying the shipment was then stopped at the Kerem Shalom crossing, before it could enter the enclave, the authorities said.

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Sulfuric acid is banned from import to the Gaza Strip through Israel. It is a key component in producing explosives such as nitroglycerin and TNT.

According to Channel 2, the quantities seized were sufficient to produce three tons of explosives.