Two Palestinian women travelling to Israel from Gaza so that one of them could receive treatment for cancer have been arrested for allegedly carrying bomb-making materials.

The pair, who are sisters, had tubes labelled “medical materials” which contained the explosives, according to the Shin Bet security service.

They were stopped at the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

The two women, who had been allowed to enter Israel so that one could receive potentially life-saving treatment, are being held for questioning.

The explosives were “sent by Hamas and it is believed that they were meant to be used to carry out attacks in Israel in the near future,” the Shin Bet said.

“Unfortunately, this is more proof that terror groups in Gaza are continuing to take advantage of humanitarian channels to export terror into Israel’s heartland,” Defence Ministry Crossing Points Authority head Kamil Abu Rokan said in a statement. “The security checks at the crossing worked exactly as we expect and with notable professionalism.”