Israel took the decision to close its border crossings with Gaza, effectively preventing thousands of Palestinian workers from reaching their jobs in both Israel and the West Bank. This move comes in the wake of days of border protests that saw Israeli forces open fire, resulting in the death of a protester just a day prior.
The closure of these crossings affects more than 18,000 Palestinians who regularly cross into Israel for work, causing a significant economic setback estimated at approximately $2 million per day for the beleaguered Gaza Strip, as reported by local economists.
These protests, endorsed by Hamas, the Islamist group governing Gaza, have persisted for several days, addressing a range of issues, including the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention and Jewish visits to the Al Aqsa mosque compound, a site of deep religious significance for both Muslims and Jews, known to the latter as the Temple Mount.
During Tuesday’s demonstrations, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man, and 11 others sustained injuries, according to Gaza health officials.
A spokesperson for Cogat, the Israeli Defense Ministry agency responsible for coordination with Palestinians, confirmed the closure of the Erez crossing into Gaza and indicated that it would be reopened “in accordance with situational assessments.”
This border shutdown follows a recent temporary ban on exports from Gaza earlier this month, triggered by the discovery of explosives in a shipment of goods. These developments further exacerbate an already strained economy in Gaza, due to the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt.
One Gaza resident, a father of five, expressed his concerns, saying, “We are too afraid the crossing won’t open anytime soon, and I go back to living in poverty and need.” He has been waiting at the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing since Sunday evening.
The 18,000 work permits granted by Israel provide a significant influx of funds to a region where per capita income, according to IMF figures, stands at only a quarter of the level in the West Bank, and unemployment is alarmingly high at nearly 50%, as reported by the World Bank.
Ayman Abu Krayyem, the spokesperson for the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Labour, highlighted the repercussions of the closure, noting that 8,000 workers who had returned to Gaza due to Israeli Jewish holidays are now stranded in the territory because of the ban. He emphasized that these individuals are losing 3.2 million shekels ($842,000) per day, which could have significantly improved their economic conditions, branding the situation as a “collective punishment.”
In recent weeks, the Israeli military has reported using crowd control measures against Palestinians who have been launching explosives at the border fence along the Gaza Strip.
Efforts by Egypt and Qatar, both vital mediators in previous rounds of conflict, are underway as they engage with both sides in an attempt to prevent a slide into a new wave of armed confrontation, according to a Palestinian official familiar with these diplomatic endeavors.
