Food Shipments to Gaza Drop Sharply as Israel Suspends Trade System

Israel has stopped processing requests from traders to import food into Gaza, cutting off a vital supply route that, for the past six months, had provided more than half of the besieged Palestinian territory’s food provisions. According to 12 individuals involved in the trade, cited in a Times of Israel report, Gaza-based merchants have been unable to access the system, run by Israel’s Defense Ministry body COGAT, since October 11. Attempts to contact the agency have reportedly gone unanswered, leaving food supplies in the region at a critical low.

This development has drastically reduced the volume of goods entering Gaza, making it the lowest level since the war began. An analysis of official Israeli data reportedly reveals that the flow of goods into Gaza — including both aid and commercial shipments — has plummeted. Between October 1 and October 16, the number of trucks entering Gaza dropped to an average of 29 per day, a significant decrease from the daily average of 175 trucks seen between May and September.

Commercial shipments, which local traders purchase and then sell in Gaza’s markets, made up around 55% of the total goods entering the region during the previous months. The apparent halt in these shipments has worsened the situation in Gaza, where the population relies heavily on imported food.

Reasons for the blockade

Sources involved in the food trade, cited in the report, suggest that the halt in commercial imports may be due to Israeli concerns that revenues from these goods were benefiting Hamas. However, a spokesperson for Hamas reportedly denied these claims, insisting that the group had not misused food imports and was working to distribute aid within Gaza.

The blockade on commercial shipments coincides with Israel's ongoing military operations against Hamas in northern Gaza. These operations have further hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid. The UN's World Food Programme confirmed that the military actions have cut off aid deliveries through northern crossings for at least two weeks.

Humanitarian concerns

Israel's Defense Ministry body COGAT, which oversees the movement of goods and aid into Gaza, did not respond to inquiries regarding the halt in commercial food imports. The agency has maintained that it strives to ensure sufficient humanitarian aid reaches Gaza and denies any allegations that it has blocked necessary supplies.

Despite these assurances, aid and commercial shipments to Gaza have seen a significant decline. The humanitarian crisis in the region has prompted the United States to warn that it could reconsider its military support for Israel if aid shipments are not restored.

As the conflict continues, the lack of food and aid supplies in Gaza is becoming an increasingly urgent issue, with international organizations calling for immediate action to ensure the population's basic needs are met.