Gaza
Israel halts Gaza commercial imports as merchant-Hamas tax dispute escalates
Image credit: Al-Monitor
TOP News Brief
The Newsdesk gathers reporting from wire services and primary sources and rewrites every story in-house before publication. How our journalism is made →
Israel said commercial goods have stopped entering Gaza following a dispute over taxes between local merchants and Hamas, according to Al-Monitor. The suspension cuts off a crucial supply route for food and other essentials to the territory. Israeli officials attributed the halt to tensions between merchants and the Hamas-led administration over taxation.
The blockade represents a significant tightening of access to Gaza, where the population faces severe shortages. Merchants suspended their coordination with authorities, prompting Israel to cease permitting commercial shipments across its border crossings.
