Israel Restarts Commercial Gaza Shipments Following Resolution of Hamas Fee Dispute
Israel resumes commercial goods shipments to Gaza after a tax dispute with Hamas is resolved, restoring a vital supply route for the aid-dependent enclave.
POLICY WIRE — Cairo, Egypt — Israel announced on Monday that it is resuming the flow of commercial goods into the Gaza Strip, effectively ending a suspension that had lasted for several days.
The disruption was triggered by a conflict between Hamas, the governing authority in the territory, and local merchants regarding a controversial truck fee. The resumption of trade restores a critical lifeline for food and essential supplies reaching the aid-dependent region.
COGAT, the Israeli military agency responsible for coordinating humanitarian affairs in Gaza, confirmed the decision to restart deliveries. The agency noted that the move follows reports from merchants that the disputed fees imposed by Hamas have been dropped.
Prior to this resolution, Israeli officials had stated that commercial deliveries were halted due to what they characterized as coercion and taxation schemes directed at private merchants by Hamas. While the group had previously rejected these accusations, the gradual restart of shipments marks a return to standard logistics for the beleaguered territory.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
