JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Navy has recently foiled a Palestinian attempt to smuggle at least 550 kg of explosives into the Gaza Strip, the Ha'aretz daily reported on Tuesday.

    Citing military information which was just released on Tuesday, the report said that the attempt was thwarted on May 3, Israel's Independence Day.

    Patrolling naval troops south of Ashdod found three suspicious Palestinian fishing boats, which fled after throwing a number of bags into the sea.

    In an inspection of the area on Sunday, navy divers brought 11 bags from the water, which contained 550 kg of standard explosive devices.

    Navy sources believe that the explosives were smuggled in from Egypt.

    "The cargo was thrown into the sea," a military spokesman was quoted as saying, "Israeli naval divers searched and retrieved 550 kg of military grade TNT."

    Since Israeli forces withdrew from the Gaza Strip last September, a number of sea-based smuggling attempts have been thwarted. Enditem