Commercial goods entry into Gaza halted amid tax dispute

The flow of commercial goods into the Gaza Strip was suspended on October 15, 2026, following a standoff between local merchants and Hamas. COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian affairs, confirmed the halt, stating that Gazan merchants stopped coordinating aid deliveries due to new financial requirements imposed by Hamas.

The conflict centers on a 10,000 shekel ($3,220) fee per truck and a mandate that 30% of all sales be processed in cash. Hamas representatives denied these claims as purely exploitative, describing the fee as a voluntary contribution to a national fund for widows and orphans, and justifying the cash demand by citing an acute currency shortage in the territory. Israeli authorities characterize the disruption as an internal dispute, leaving the future of supply lines uncertain.

This development exacerbates the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the population has relied heavily on aid for three years following repeated displacement and ongoing conflict. With no immediate resolution between the merchants and Hamas, the delivery of essential supplies remains stalled, further complicating the already precarious living conditions in the region.