Israel says it will reopen the main cargo crossing to Gaza on Sunday, a relief for Gazan producers
Israeli authorities say they plan to reopen the main commercial crossing to Gaza after it was closed earlier this week, harming producers across the embattled territory
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Israel will reopen the main commercial crossing to Gaza after Israeli authorities closed it earlier this week, saying they had found explosives headed out of the embattled territory. The closure was a severe economic blow to producers across the coastal strip.
The Kerem Shalom crossing was closed on Monday after authorities said explosives were found hidden in a clothing shipment bound for the occupied West Bank — one of the main markets for Gaza's tiny export sector — and feared they were intended for militants in the territory.
After an investigation and “necessary adjustments,” the crossing was safe to reopen, Israel said, without elaborating further on the explosives found.
Palestinian fishermen, businessmen and rights advocates said the closure marked a form of collective punishment against Gaza’s 2 million people, including tens of thousands of laborers who heavily depend on exports to Israel and the West Bank to stay afloat.
Nearly all the goods that enter and exit Gaza pass through Kerem Shalom.
Challenges faced by Gaza’s fisherman during the closure were particularly acute. Their surplus stock perished before it could reach markets in Israel. Gaza’s main fishermen’s union reported $300,000 in losses due to the closure, a significant blow. Fish accounted for 6% of all Gazan exports in July.
The reopening promises a reprieve for fishermen like Khalid al-Laham, a 35-year old father of five who lives in the southern city of Khan Younis. Al-Laham was forced to borrow food from shops to feed his family during the closure.
“The financial and living conditions will certainly improve,” al-Laham said. "I will be able to feed my family and live a decent life.”
While the reopening promises to relieve producers across the territory, Gaza’s economy remains hamstrung by a dual Egyptian-Israeli blockade in place since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The blockade has pummeled the local economy by choking off access to external markets and limiting movement from the territory.