For two days, commercial shipments carrying vital goods like fruit and winter clothing have completely stopped entering Gaza, cutting off a lifeline for millions. The sudden suspension has heightened anxieties across the territory as an encroaching winter looms over a population already suffering from famine and dependent entirely on border crossings.

According to Al Jazeera, AP, and Reuters, Israeli authorities announced the halt on Wednesday, stating that no commercial goods had entered the Strip. COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian affairs in Gaza, claimed that local merchants made the decision in response to a 10,000 shekel fee imposed by Hamas on each incoming truck, alongside a demand that 30 percent of all sales be conducted in cash.

However, Gaza's government media office refuted these assertions on Thursday, condemning what it called a blatant disinformation campaign. According to the same reports, the media office stated that the fee was actually a voluntary payment directed to a fund aiding vulnerable groups such as widows and orphans, and that cash payments were merely encouraged due to an acute cash shortage rather than being mandatory.

Nahed Sheheiber, head of Gaza's private truckers union, also challenged the official Israeli narrative as reported by Al Jazeera, AP, and Reuters, stating that the restrictions were imposed by Israel rather than local merchants.

Background

Data released earlier this year by COGAT indicates that humanitarian groups typically bring in essential staples like flour, while private merchants handle perishable items including fruits and meat. A global food monitor previously warned that more than two-thirds of Gaza's 2.1 million residents could face acute hunger by the end of the year.

Why it matters

Humanitarian workers emphasize that a functional commercial market alongside aid is essential to keep prices under control and meet the vast needs of the population. Shaina Low, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council, noted in the reports that the humanitarian sector alone cannot meet all needs, making functioning markets a necessity.