Story perspectives

Hamas truck fees cut Gaza supplies, worsening food crisis

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 2:03 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Israel Halts Freight

Israel halted commercial freight into Gaza, citing a tax dispute with Hamas.
Gaza Health Ministry reports 466 deaths from malnutrition since 2024, including 157 children.
Ministry projects 1.4 million Gazans (67% of population) will face crisis-level food insecurity by end-2026.
UNICEF warns recent gains against acute malnutrition are fragile and could reverse if supply disruptions continue.
Kerem Shalom remains the sole operational cargo crossing after Zikim closed, leaving supplies vulnerable.

Summary

Mladenov Condemns Coercion

Nickolay Mladenov condemned Hamas-imposed truck fees as unacceptable coercion.
Hamas demands a 10,000 shekel fee per truck and 30 % of sales in cash.
Israel’s COGAT reported merchants halted coordination after Hamas threatened a merchant’s son over unpaid fees.
Mladenov urged rapid deployment of the National Committee for Gaza Administration, backed by an International Stabilisation Force.
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire calls for 600 trucks daily; only about 300 are arriving.

History

Historical Context

After Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, Hamas seized control in June 2007 and Israel tightened the blockade, cutting truck traffic from about 12,000 per month in 2005 to roughly 2,000 by November 2007. The World Bank later estimated the blockade cut Gaza’s GDP by more than 50%. Today Hamas-imposed fees and the Zikim crossing closure echo that restriction.

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Israel Halts Freight

Israel halted commercial freight into Gaza, citing a tax dispute with Hamas.
Gaza Health Ministry reports 466 deaths from malnutrition since 2024, including 157 children.
Ministry projects 1.4 million Gazans (67% of population) will face crisis-level food insecurity by end-2026.
UNICEF warns recent gains against acute malnutrition are fragile and could reverse if supply disruptions continue.
Kerem Shalom remains the sole operational cargo crossing after Zikim closed, leaving supplies vulnerable.

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