Gaza Herald – Israel has been running a parallel import system into Gaza that allows private traders to bring in so-called “dual-use” goods while blocking the same life-saving items from humanitarian organizations, according to an investigation reported by The Guardian.
The report said Israeli authorities had classified essential items, including electricity generators and metal tent supports, as security risks when requested by aid groups, yet quietly approved their entry through commercial channels. These goods were later sold openly in Gaza’s markets at inflated prices, despite passing through the same tightly controlled Israeli checkpoints.
Diplomatic, military, and humanitarian sources cited in the report said it was implausible that Israeli authorities were unaware of the discrepancy. The two-tier system, they said, has crippled humanitarian operations while creating lucrative opportunities for a small circle of licensed traders tied to Israeli approval.
Human rights groups argued the policy reflects a long-standing Israeli strategy of using access to Gaza as a political tool, empowering select actors, weakening others, and maintaining economic dependency. “This is not about the material itself,” said Gisha director Tania Hary. “It’s about who controls it, where it goes, and who profits.”
The system has further undermined the UN-led aid framework that international law obliges Israel to support, UN officials warned, while Gaza’s civilian population faces extreme shortages after years of siege and months of devastation. Aid groups said the policy fuels an unregulated war economy, drives up prices, and places Palestinian lives at even greater risk.
