Israel announces a ban on the entry of commercial goods into the Gaza Strip

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Israel said commercial goods will not enter the Gaza Strip, cutting off a key source of food and shelter supplies for the war-torn enclave as Palestinians face the approaching winter.

The Coordinator of Israeli Government Activities in the Palestinian Territories (COGAT), an Israeli military entity that supervises humanitarian affairs in Gaza, announced that operations to coordinate the entry of commercial goods had been suspended, in a statement yesterday, Wednesday.

It was not clear whether they were the ones who made the decision. The COGAT unit added that he was relying on a statement issued by Gaza merchants, which the Palestinians denied.

The move would immediately reduce supplies entering Gaza because the closed enclave is entirely dependent on any goods Israel allows to enter through border crossings.

The closure has also raised concerns about affordability, with aid workers saying more aid and a strong trade market are needed to keep prices under control.

“The humanitarian sector alone cannot meet the needs of all people. Markets must work,” said Sheena Lu, spokeswoman for the Norwegian Refugee Council, an aid group.

Announcing the measure, the COGAT unit said it was conveying a decision taken by local merchants in Gaza, which were fed up with Hamas imposing a tax on their trucks and its threats, the unit said. Israel has long accused Hamas of imposing duties on imports to finance its operations.

Nahed Shuhaiber, head of the Private Transport Association in Gaza, confirmed to Masdar News Network, “The decision to stop commercial coordination is an Israeli decision, and it was not issued by Gaza merchants as the Israeli coordinator claimed. The occupation uses the excuse that Hamas wants 10,000 shekels for every truck entering Gaza, and this is not true.”