South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reports that Hamas is utilizing weapons manufactured in North Korea in its conflict with Israel in Gaza.

The use of North Korean weaponry by Hamas had been suspected since the outbreak of hostilities three months ago. However, North Korea has publicly denied any involvement in attacks against Israel, issuing its first denial shortly after the October 7 attack.

The NIS’s confirmation of North Korean involvement followed a Voice of America report, which featured a photograph of an F-7 grenade launcher allegedly used by Hamas, with Korean writing visible on it.

“The NIS said its assessment is the same as the VOA report,” the Yonhap news agency reported.

This revelation comes amidst reports that North Korea is also supplying weapons to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict. It coincides with the discovery by Israeli Defense Forces of sophisticated Chinese-made weaponry in Gaza, including assault rifles, grenade launchers, and communications equipment. While these arms were manufactured in China, the involvement of the Chinese government in their transfer or sale remains unconfirmed. It’s speculated that a third-party state or an illegal weapons dealer might have facilitated their acquisition by Hamas.

The ongoing conflict has also strained Israel-China relations, particularly after Beijing’s call for a ceasefire and a two-state solution following the October 7 attack, without condemning Hamas’s actions. The Chinese Communist Party has also been observed promoting anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric online since the war’s onset.

Complicating matters further, Hamas’s actions on October 7 resulted in the deaths of four Chinese nationals and the kidnapping of Chinese-Israeli Noa Argamani, who is still being held captive in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Argamani’s mother have appealed to the Chinese government and its leader, Xi Jinping, for intervention in securing her release.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)