Full Breakdown
Halt of Commercial Goods to Gaza: Dispute Over Fees and Its Immediate Effects
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
The conflict that began on October 7, 2023—when Hamas-led militants killed roughly 1,200 people and took 251 hostages—triggered a massive Israeli bombardment and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. Since 2007, Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade, and a U.S.–mediated ceasefire requires a minimum of 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid daily. By early October 2026, the enclave’s 2 million residents remained heavily dependent on aid shipments and private-sector imports for food, medicine and basic supplies.
Core Event (October 15, 2026)
On October 15, Israeli authorities announced that no commercial goods had entered Gaza for two days. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said the halt stemmed from a dispute between local merchants and Hamas over a 10,000-shekel fee per truck and a demand that 30 % of sales be conducted in cash. Hamas and Gaza’s Government Media Office called the fee a voluntary community contribution and the cash requirement a response to a cash shortage.
Data & Statistics
- Price spikes: In Gaza City, a carton of eggs rose from 35 shekels to 60-70 shekels; onions from 5-6 shekels to 8-10 shekels; avocados from 7-8 shekels to about 15 shekels.
- Flour: Residents reported a rise from 25-35 shekels per sack to roughly 80 shekels.
- Food price index: OCHA noted September 2026 food prices averaged 204 % above pre-October 2023 levels.
- Truck flow: COGAT estimates Gaza needs about 250 truckloads of goods daily, far below the 600-truck minimum. The private sector normally accounts for roughly half of all trucks; merchants claim current daily entries are closer to 300, with two-thirds carrying commercial goods.
Official Statements & Responses
- COGAT deputy spokesperson Lt. Daniel Kantorovich said merchants cancelled coordination because of Hamas’s “taxation mechanism.”
- Israel’s coordinator Yoram Halevi alleged Hamas demanded the fee and cash-sale requirement, prompting merchants to suspend operations.
- Hamas spokesman Khaled Al-Raqab described the fee as a “voluntary community initiative” to fund a relief fund for widows and orphans.
- Gaza’s Government Media Office called the Israeli claim a “blatant disinformation campaign,” insisting no taxes have been imposed on commercial trucks in the past three years.
- OCHA’s October 2 situation report warned the new restrictions could reverse recent gains in food security.
Criticism & Opposition
- Shaina Low, Norwegian Refugee Council, warned that the humanitarian sector cannot meet all needs.
- Nickolay Mladenov, Board of Peace, condemned intimidation of merchants and urged protection of civilian supply chains.
- Nahed Sheheiber, head of Gaza’s private truckers union, asserted that Israel, not merchants, imposed the restrictions and that the fee narrative is a pretext.
On-the-Ground Reports
- Ismail al-Barawi, 52, from Jabalia, said he now buys only four or five eggs instead of a full carton.
- Iman Atallah, 50, displaced from Beit Lahiya, reported a sack of flour now costs 80 shekels, forcing her family to rely on rice, lentils and minimal bread.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Cause of the halt: Israel cites merchant-initiated suspension; Gaza’s merchants and Hamas claim Israel imposed the restriction.
- Nature of the 10,000-shekel charge: Described by Israel as a tax; by Hamas as a voluntary donation.
- Truck numbers: COGAT cites a 600-truck target; merchants report entries near 300, with differing estimates of the commercial-goods share.
What’s Next
International mediators—including Egypt, Qatar and Turkey—have been urged by Gaza’s Government Media Office to press Israel to honor the 600-truck daily requirement. No specific deadline for lifting the commercial suspension has been announced.