Gloves off: Israel disarms 'Hamas military mittens'

En route to Gaza through Israel's Kerem Shalom Crossing was a seemingly mysterious package. The Israeli security services seized it, most likely assuming they had some sort of strategic victory on their hands.

And when they opened the box, they uncovered "tactical military"… gloves.

Just gloves.

The Israeli officers intercepted the crate, and boasted they had "foiled" an attempt to smuggle the gloves, which they claimed "were intended for use by the Hamas terrorist organisation".

"Security inspectors from the Ministry of Defense Crossings Authority, along with representatives of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (Gaza Coordination and Liaison Office), foiled an attempt to smuggle thousands of pairs of military tactical gloves into the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom Crossing," the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) said in a defiant statement on Monday.

How had the audatious smugglers attempted to hide these fleecy-fingered weapons?

The GPO said the packaged gloves "were concealed in a consignment of clothing", which, considering gloves are an item of clothing, should not come as a huge surprise.

"Tactical military"-style gloves do exist. They're a real thing. Usually, they have reinforced or armoured finger-joints and are woven from a special, tough, heat-resistant fabric. 

The 'tactical military gloves' bravely seized by officers [Israeli Ministry of Defense]

These appear not to match that description, however. They seem to be just ordinary run-of-the-mill gloves.

The Israeli army and defence ministry, however, are adamant the fingerless mittens are classed as "military equipment" - and seizing them is a part of a wider operation to ensure only approved goods "that do not aid terrorist elements" enter the beseiged enclave, according to Crossings Authority Kerem Shalom Director Ami Shaked.

"The Hamas terrorist organisation has repeatedly tried to exploit Israel's civilian policy for its own ends at the expense of the civilian population in Gaza," said Colonel Faris Atila, the head of the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Office.

"We will continue to frustrate and thwart the abuse of our civilian policy for terrorist goals and the needs of the Hamas terrorist organisation."

According to one retailer of this line of gloves, their threatening features include having extra grip, skid-resistance and handily, not fully covering the fingers.

Follow Diana Alghoul on Twitter: @superknafeh