Israel halts commercial goods from entering Gaza; Hamas denies tax claims

What the report says

Israeli authorities say they have stopped commercial goods from entering Gaza for two days, with the military coordination body COGAT attributing the pause to what it described as a dispute over fees between local merchants and Hamas. Al Jazeera reported that the halt affects items such as fruit and winter clothing, which are normally brought in by merchants and are separate from aid deliveries.

Gaza’s government media office rejected the Israeli account, calling it misinformation and saying the fee in question was a voluntary contribution to support people in need, not a tax imposed on truck drivers or merchants. A Gaza truckers’ union also denied that merchants were responsible for the disruption and accused Israel of using the issue as a pretext to restrict imports.

The suspension is significant because Gaza remains heavily dependent on crossings with Israel for food and other essentials, and humanitarian workers told Al Jazeera that commercial imports help keep prices from rising beyond the reach of many families. The report said the territory is already facing a severe humanitarian emergency, with winter approaching and fears growing about shortages of food and other supplies.

The article also noted that under a US-mediated arrangement, Israel is expected to allow at least 600 aid trucks into Gaza each day, though diplomats say the actual number has often been lower. Al Jazeera cited earlier warnings from a global hunger monitor that more than two-thirds of Gazans could face acute hunger by the end of the year.