Israel halts commercial goods from entering Gaza; Hamas denies tax claims | Gaza News
Commercial Shipments to Gaza Halt Amid Dispute, Raising Fears of Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
Israeli authorities reported that no commercial goods have entered Gaza for the past two days due to a claimed tax dispute involving local merchants and Hamas. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian affairs in the region, announced the suspension of shipments on Wednesday.
According to COGAT, local merchants decided to halt shipments in response to a fee of 10,000 shekels (approximately $3,220) imposed by Hamas on each truck entering Gaza, along with a requirement that 30 percent of all sales be conducted in cash. This disruption is expected to severely impact the supply chain for approximately 2.1 million residents of Gaza, many of whom depend on goods entering through Israeli border crossings amid ongoing economic strife and food insecurity.
Gaza’s government media office rejected COGAT’s claims and denounced what it described as a “misinformation campaign.” The office contended that the fee was a voluntary contribution to assist those in need, such as widows and orphans, and that cash payments were encouraged due to a cash shortage but not mandated.
The halt in commercial shipments affects vital supplies, including fruit and winter clothing, as winter approaches. Aid organizations primarily supply staples such as flour, while local merchants typically import perishable goods. Humanitarian workers have expressed concerns about rising prices, emphasizing that a mix of aid and functioning commercial markets is necessary to maintain price stability.
“The humanitarian sector on its own cannot meet the needs of all the people,” said Shaina Low, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council. “The markets need to be functioning.”
Nahed Sheheiber, head of Gaza’s private truckers union, refuted the Israeli narrative, asserting that restrictions imposed by Israel were the true reason behind the halt. Following COGAT’s announcement, Sheheiber’s union met with Gaza’s Ministry of Economy to address concerns over the restrictions attributed to fees levied by the ministry.
In a report released in July, a global hunger monitor warned that by the end of the year, over two-thirds of Gaza’s residents could face acute hunger. Under a U.S.-mediated agreement, Israel is obligated to allow at least 600 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza each day. However, diplomats indicate that far fewer than this number typically cross the border, with Sheheiber suggesting the actual daily average is closer to 300 trucks, two-thirds of which are commercial goods.
As the situation develops, the humanitarian implications of this standoff remain a pressing concern for both local and international observers.
