Commercial goods halt entering Gaza amid dispute over Hamas taxes on merchants

On October 14, 2026, commercial shipments into Gaza were halted, cutting off vital food and supplies to 2 million residents. Israeli military body COGAT claimed Palestinian merchants stopped coordination due to Hamas imposing 10,000-shekel fees per truck. Hamas and Gaza trucking union officials denied taxing merchants, accusing Israel of imposing the blockade. Aid groups warned that market disruptions threaten food affordability, while Board of Peace official Nickolay Mladenov urged protection for supply chains.

Suspension of commercial shipments to Gaza

• ▪COGAT reported that the halt in commercial shipments would cut total daily truck deliveries into Gaza by half, to approximately 300 trucks.
• ▪Israeli military body COGAT announced that no commercial goods had entered the Gaza Strip for two days as of October 15, 2026, following a suspension of shipment coordination.
• ▪Nahed Sheheiber, head of Gaza's private transport union, stated on October 15, 2026, that commercial trucks from Israel ceased entering Gaza, while aid shipments and commercial goods from Egypt continued.

Dispute over Hamas tax demands

• ▪COGAT stated that Gaza merchants suspended shipments because Hamas demanded a fee of 10,000 shekels ($3,220) per truck and required 30 percent of sales in cash.
• ▪Nahed Sheheiber, head of Gaza's private transport union, stated that Israeli authorities imposed the commercial shipment halt using Palestinian government fees as a pretext.
• ▪Gaza's Ministry of Economy and Hamas denied imposing commercial taxes, asserting that 10,000-shekel payments were voluntary donations to a national fund supporting needy residents.

Role of commercial goods alongside humanitarian aid

• ▪Commercial shipments entering Gaza supply perishable foods such as fruits and meat, whereas humanitarian organizations primarily deliver basic staples like flour.
• ▪Norwegian Refugee Council spokesperson Shaina Low stated that humanitarian aid alone cannot meet Gaza's population needs without functioning commercial markets to keep prices affordable.
• ▪COGAT stated that Gaza requires approximately 250 truckloads of commercial goods daily, compared to the 600 total aid trucks mandated under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Assessments of Gaza food insecurity

• ▪A global food insecurity authority reported in 2026 that conditions in Gaza had improved since famine was declared in August 2025, though food shortages remained at crisis levels.
• ▪A global hunger monitor reported in July 2026 that more than two-thirds of Gaza's 2 million residents could face acute hunger by the end of 2026.