Israeli officials said no commercial goods have entered Gaza over the past two days, attributing the halt to a tax dispute between local merchants and Hamas.
COGAT — the Israeli military body responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, which describes itself as overseeing "humanitarian issues" in Gaza — issued the announcement on Wednesday.
According to COGAT, local merchants "made this decision in response to the 10,000 shekel ($3,220) fee that Hamas imposes on each truck entering Gaza," along with a demand that 30 percent of revenue in Gaza be paid in cash.
The decision is expected to affect a source of food and essential goods for Gaza's 2.1 million residents — a population entirely dependent on crossings controlled by Israel, in a territory still grappling with hunger.
Gaza's government media office rejected the claims on Thursday, condemning what it called a "blatant disinformation campaign and false statements."
According to the office, Israel is trying to "assign responsibility to the governing authority in Gaza for the disruption of truck entries," while asserting that the fee in question is a voluntary contribution to a fund supporting those in need, such as widows and orphans.
The office also said cash payment was encouraged due to a severe cash shortage in the war-devastated territory, but was never a mandatory requirement.
An already severe humanitarian crisis
The suspension of commercial shipments, including fruit and winter clothing, cuts off a source of food and other essential supplies amid growing concerns ahead of the approaching winter.
According to COGAT data released earlier this year, aid organizations typically bring in staples such as flour, while merchants import more perishable foods such as fruit and meat.
The halt to imports is raising concerns about affordability, with humanitarian workers saying both aid and a functioning commercial market are needed to keep prices in check.
"The humanitarian sector alone cannot meet the needs of the entire population," said Shaina Low, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council. "Markets need to function."
Local merchants speak out
The head of Gaza's association of private truck drivers, Nahed Sheheiber, rejected Israel's explanation: "The Israeli coordinator says Gaza merchants are responsible, but the truth is that the Israelis are the ones imposing the restrictions."
After COGAT's announcement, Sheheiber's association met with Gaza's Ministry of Economy to voice concerns, arguing that Israel is citing fees collected by the ministry as a pretext to cut off commercial supplies.
A global hunger monitor warned in July that more than two-thirds of Gaza's population could face severe food insecurity by the end of this year.
Under a US-brokered agreement, Israel is obligated to allow a minimum of 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza each day.
Diplomats say the actual number entering Gaza is often far below 600. Sheheiber put the figure at nearly 300 trucks, two-thirds of which carry commercial goods.
