Security officials said Wednesday that a new chemical lab at the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza would provide thorough analysis of goods being imported into Gaza to make sure their chemical compounds match those stated, in order to prevent materials that could be used to build weapons from reaching the hands of terror organizations in the Strip.

The lab is a joint venture between the Shabak and the Border Crossing division of the Israel Police and will be used to analyze samples from various types of shipments, including gases, metals, liquids and powders.

Recently, while testing the lab, a shipment of motor oils arrived at Kerem Shalom, en route to Gaza. The shipment piqued the suspicion of the border crossing agents, who took samples of the liquids and ran them through the lab, and found that the substance was not simply “innocent motor oil,” but rather a dangerous substance that could be used to manufacture explosives on a large scale.

Kamil Abu Rukun, head of the Border Crossing Authority issued a statement saying the establishment of this new laboratory “greatly enhances the ‘toolbox’ used by security forces in their daily fight against illegal smuggling into Gaza,” adding that “today, we have the ability to detect any illicit substance which may aid terror organizations in Gaza.”