Israelis are lining up to buy guns in 'unprecedented' numbers with one shop staying open on the Jewish Sabbath due to demand: report
- Israeli gun shops are seeing a surge in demand, according to the Financial Times.
- Long lines are keeping stores open late, with one doing business on the Jewish Sabbath.
Israelis are driving an "unprecedented" surge in gun purchases since Hamas launched its deadly terror attacks and sparked a war with Israel in Gaza that shows no sign of slowing, according to a report.
Gun shops in Israel told the Financial Times correspondent Mehul Srivastava that they are dealing with huge lines, staying open late, and — in one case — opening on the Jewish Sabbath to deal with the demand.
One shop in Holon, Israel, told FT that it had run out of its popular 9mm "Masada" handguns made by IWI due to the surge in sales after October 7, when Hamas militants launched surprise assaults across the Israeli border and attacked civilians.
Israeli authorities say over 1,400 people were killed and around 200 more were taken hostage by Hamas. Israel's military has since responded with devastating airstrikes in the Gaza Strip that have killed thousands of Palestinians, according to the United Nations.
Last week, Israel's right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir loosened Israel's previously tight restrictions on gun permits, allowing thousands more Israelis to purchase firearms in the aftermath of the attacks.
The changes automatically qualify residents of Sderot, Israel, the city that was attacked by Hamas, to buy a firearm, Ben-Gvir said.
Data presented at Israel's Knesset National Security Committee hearing showed there were roughly 41,000 new applications for gun permits since the Hamas attacks, according to according to Haaretz.
Ben-Gvir, who pushed for more gun ownership before the attacks, touted the changes this week.
"We are trying to transfer as many weapons as possible, from wherever there are weapons, to strengthen the local security squads and provide the citizens the safety they need," Ben-Gvir said, according to Haaretz.