Cargo jet carrying 14 tons of explosives departs JFK for 'Israel'
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A 14-ton nitrocellulose shipment bound for "Israel" via JFK Airport is raising alarm over worker safety, arms exports, and US complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
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Raika Abu Sahloul, 40, cares for her 4-year-old niece, Layan, as she sits despondently among her dolls at Nasser Hospital with second-degree burns on her face, foot, and stomach, in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Sunday, May 4, 2025 (AP)
A cargo flight carrying 14 tons of explosive-grade nitrocellulose, destined for the Israeli weapons manufacturer IMI Systems, was scheduled to depart JFK International Airport Saturday afternoon, igniting serious safety and ethical concerns amid "Israel's" intensifying aggression on Gaza.
According to air freight documentation obtained by The Intercept, the shipment constitutes one of the largest known transfers of explosive material through JFK, a major international hub. The manifest details 51 pallets of nitrocellulose, a volatile chemical compound widely used in the production of ammunition, including sniper bullets, artillery shells, and other battlefield munitions.
Flight records reviewed by The Intercept show that the shipment is being transported by Challenge Airlines Israel, with departure from JFK scheduled for 2 pm Saturday and arrival at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday. The cargo’s recipient, IMI Systems, now a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, is a core supplier to the Israeli military, manufacturing a wide array of weaponry, including rocket launchers, cluster munitions, and other battlefield arms used in ongoing operations against Gaza.
The origin of the shipment traces back to a Los Angeles-area zip code, though the chemical manufacturer remains unidentified. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages JFK, and Elbit Systems have declined to comment on the cargo.
Activists warn of danger to civilians and workers at JFK
The Palestinian Youth Movement, which helped uncover the shipment, has sounded alarms over both the international implications and immediate local risks. Nitrocellulose, according to a US Army assessment cited by the group, possesses explosive power comparable to TNT.
“This is a threat not only to Palestinians but to workers and civilians here in New York,” said Aisha Nizar, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement.
“These arms are threats to our communities here in New York, and show yet again the complete coordination between the Zionist project and the US ruling class, who are currently waging a war of extermination against the Palestinian people,” Nizar told The Intercept.
The group referenced the 2015 Tianjin Port disaster in China, where improperly stored nitrocellulose triggered a series of explosions that killed 173 people. At JFK, cargo flights share runways with commercial aircraft, raising concerns about safety protocols and the proximity of volatile cargo to civilian terminals.
Shipment highlights role of US military support to "Israel"
While JFK has long facilitated discreet arms transfers to "Israel", including tear gas, small arms cartridges, and aircraft parts, this is the first publicly documented shipment of nitrocellulose. Journalist Roman Shortall of The Ditch, who assisted in verifying the manifest, told The Intercept that the shipment reflects the deepening logistical role played by the US in enabling the war on Gaza.
In the past year alone, the Biden administration has authorized over $17.9 billion in military aid to "Israel", including both stockpile releases and direct purchases from American defense companies. Rights groups argue such aid has directly contributed to mass civilian killings and the destruction of vital infrastructure in Gaza.
“Over almost two years of genocide in Gaza,” added Nizar, “JFK airport has served as the coordination point for the shipment of ammunition primer, small arms cartridges, detonators, and aircraft parts to sustain the Israeli military.”
Growing pressure over US complicity in Gaza genocide
This shipment is not an isolated case. Palestinian solidarity groups have tracked similar arms logistics through Port Elizabeth in New Jersey and MOTSU, the US Army’s main weapons terminal in North Carolina. Some shipments have reportedly violated international arms embargoes, such as Spain’s, as previously reported by The Ditch.
Belgian broadcaster RTBF also documented Challenge Airlines transporting weapons from JFK to Brussels before continuing to Tel Aviv, raising concerns over European involvement in the arms corridor.
Meanwhile, Elbit Systems, the recipient of the cargo, operates globally with facilities in the US, UK, Australia, and across Europe. It has been the target of repeated protest actions at its sites in Virginia, South Carolina, and most recently in New Hampshire, where activists attempted to halt production lines.
The shipment comes as "Israel" intensifies its aggression on Gaza, where over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed and humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate under blockade. Aid workers report that "Israel" is actively obstructing humanitarian deliveries while announcing plans for indefinite occupation.
