For first time in nearly a year, Israel to gradually allow flow of goods to Gaza’s private sector

Israel will gradually permit the entry of goods into the Gaza Strip through the private commercial sector, under a new mechanism, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories announces.

COGAT says the move aims to “increase the volume of aid entering the Gaza Strip, while reducing reliance on aid collection by the UN and international organizations.”

“As part of formulating this mechanism, a limited number of local merchants were approved by the defense establishment, subject to specific criteria and thorough security screening,” COGAT says.

It says the approved goods include basic food products, baby food, fruits and vegetables, and hygiene supplies and “payments for the purchase of these goods will be conducted via bank transfers only, under a monitoring and oversight mechanism.”

The goods will undergo an inspection by Israeli authorities at the border crossings with Gaza before entering the Strip.

In the past year, only aid supplied by the UN or other international humanitarian organizations has been permitted to enter Gaza.

“The IDF, through COGAT, and in cooperation with security agencies, will continue to operate monitoring and oversight mechanisms for the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, while taking all possible measures to prevent the involvement of the Hamas terrorist organization in the processes of bringing in and distributing the aid,” the statement adds.

Israel previously allowed goods into Gaza via the private sector between May and October 2024.

In a November 2024 response to a High Court appeal by human rights groups, COGAT said that “verified indications show that the Hamas terror organization is exploiting the entry of goods for economic and military buildup.” It was therefore decided on October 8, 2024, not to allow the continued entry of goods into the Strip via the private sector.