Israel lets traders in while blocking crucial aid to Gaza: Report

JERUSALEM

Israel appears to be operating a parallel regulatory framework for goods entering Gaza, permitting commercial traders to bring in items that remain prohibited for humanitarian organizations, the Guardian reported on Jan. 2.

Essential life-saving supplies, such as generators and tent poles, are included on a longstanding Israeli “dual-use” blacklist. The Israeli government argues that these items must be tightly restricted, fearing they could be repurposed by Hamas or other armed groups for military objectives.

Yet, for at least the past month, Israeli authorities have allowed private businesses to import multiple dual-use goods into Gaza, including generators and metal pallets, which are better suited to withstand winter rains and muddy conditions than their wooden counterparts, according to the report.

Military, diplomatic and humanitarian sources told the news organization that these items are now available on Gaza’s open market, having passed through the same three heavily controlled Israeli checkpoints that continue to block aid shipments of the same goods.

“It seems highly unlikely that Israeli authorities are unaware of this,” one diplomatic source said.

“It is quite startling that these goods are entering through commercial channels.”

This disparity hampers the efforts of humanitarian organizations operating amid acute need, while creating profitable opportunities for commercial traders able to obtain Israeli import permits.

The report came after Israel said on Jan. 1 that 37 international NGOs operating in Gaza had not complied with a deadline to meet "security and transparency standards," in particular disclosing information on their Palestinian staff and that it "will enforce" a ban on their activities.

The groups will now be required to cease their operations by March 1, which the United Nations has warned will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

United Nations rights chief Volker Türk described Israel's decision as "outrageous,” calling on states to urgently insist Israel shift course.

Israel has historically leveraged access to Gaza to advance its political objectives, noted Tania Hary, executive director of Gisha, an Israeli human rights organization that has monitored Israeli controls for two decades.

While a deal for a ceasefire that started on Oct. 10, 2025, stipulated the entry of 600 trucks per day, only 100 to 300 are carrying humanitarian aid, aid groups say.