Israel Halts Commercial Goods Into Gaza as Winter Approaches
The Gaza commercial goods halt, announced by Israel on Wednesday, October 14, had left the territory without private-sector shipments for two days as of Thursday. The suspension cuts off fresh food, fruit and winter clothing for a population of roughly 2 million people who already depend heavily on aid. Humanitarian deliveries are still entering Gaza, but the dispute over who actually stopped the commercial channel has not been settled.
Israeli authorities blame a tax dispute involving Hamas. Gaza’s traders say Israel imposed the restriction. UNICEF warns that recent progress against child malnutrition could be lost.
Two accounts of why the shipments stopped
COGAT, the Israeli military body that oversees civilian and humanitarian affairs in Gaza, says the merchants made the decisi...