Israel allowing traders to bring into Gaza ‘dual-use’ items barred from aid organisations | Gaza

Israel operates a parallel control system for shipments to Gaza, allowing commercial traders to bring goods into the zone, which is off-limits to humanitarian organizations.

Essential life-saving supplies, including generators and tent poles, are on Israel’s long blacklist of “dual-use” products. The Israeli government says the entry of these items should be severely restricted because they could be used for military purposes by Hamas or other armed groups.

But for at least a month, Israeli authorities allowed businesses to transport large numbers of dual-use items into Gaza, including generators and metal pallets that are more resistant to winter rains and mud than wooden alternatives.

These are currently being sold on the open market in Gaza, according to military, diplomatic and humanitarian sources. They must pass through three tightly controlled Israeli checkpoints, which currently prohibit these goods from being sent to aid organisations.

“It seems extremely unlikely that the Israelis did not know about them,” a diplomatic source said. “It’s amazing that these things can get in through commercial channels.”

While inequality limits the work of humanitarian organizations supporting Palestinians in times of urgent need, it also presents lucrative opportunities for commercial traders who can obtain import permits from Israeli authorities.

The American commander of a new US base in southern Israel has been briefed on such dual-use restrictions. Lieutenant General Patrick Frank discussed the controls with diplomats and humanitarian workers at the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), which was established in October to monitor the ceasefire brokered by Donald Trump and the plan for the future of Gaza. His views on this matter are unknown.

Tania Hary, executive director of Israeli human rights group Gisha, which has been monitoring the controls for 20 years, said Israel has a long history of using access to Gaza to advance its own political goals.

“Apparently the private sector [shipments of items on the dual-use list] “It may seem very confusing and incoherent,” he said. “But I think it’s very consistent with the policies of trying to strengthen the hands of some actors and weaken the hands of others.”

He said access controls on items such as generators did not reflect the “inherent risk or danger inherent in the item itself”. “The question is: Who has it? Where? How is it used?”

Israel’s restrictions have long hindered trade to Gaza especially profitable for Palestinians and Israelis who can obtain permits. Products on the dual-use list are now sold at very high prices in Gaza.

“The only way to buy generators right now is through the private sector,” said Sam Rose, acting Gaza director of Unrwa, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. “There is a sign in this.”

“My understanding is that there are commercial interests at stake on both sides – Israel, Egypt, Palestine – and some security companies that benefit from Israeli protection are cutting corners, as well as other criminal elements, and ultimately supporting the growth of an illegal economy,” Rose added. “What’s not clear to me is whether Hamas will be disrupted. That’s what I assume, but I haven’t seen any confirmation of that.”

Ahmed Alkhatib, a resident member of the Atlantic Council, said when it comes to commercial deliveries to Gaza: “In Gaza, you’re not just paying fees and taxes to Hamas, you’re also paying fees and taxes to merchants on the Israeli side. We all know that Gaza is and always will be a big market for the Israeli economy.”

Cogat, the Israeli defense ministry’s unit that controls access to Gaza, refused to “prevent or delay” aid shipments to Gaza or impose looser restrictions on commercial traders.

“The policy governing the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip is approved by the political echelon in Israel and is uniformly implemented by Cogat across the UN, international organizations, donor countries and the private sector,” a spokesman said in a statement. he said.

Without giving any details, the statement stated that Israel “offers alternatives to international organizations that allow and facilitate humanitarian intervention” for dual-use materials. Spokesperson Shimi Zuaretz also said medical aid organizations were given permission to bring generators to Gaza “within the last month.”

The Israeli army forwarded questions about aid shipments to Gaza to Cogat. The US military declined to comment.

The shipment controls are the latest example of Israel weaponizing aid for political and military purposes in Gaza. Over the summer, Israel caused famine in parts of the region by blocking food shipments for weeks and then allowing only a small amount of relief supplies to enter, killing hundreds of people.

Israel this week told 37 NGOs operating in Gaza that they must cease all activities within 60 days if they do not provide detailed information about Palestinian personnel.

Diplomats and humanitarian officials said stopping the work of the NGOs on the list would result in disaster and put Palestinian lives at risk.

“The EU was clear: the NGO registration law cannot be implemented in its current form,” the EU’s humanitarian chief Hadja Lahbib said on social media. “IHL [international humanitarian law] “It leaves no room for doubt: aid must reach those in need.”

“The truth is that the commercial sector can bring what it wants 1767256951″Products that are not approved for humanitarian organizations, such as generators, are being sold commercially. So we have a two-tier system that undermines the UN-led system that Israel is required to support under international law,” Rose said.

U.S. forces deployed to CMCC arrived in October prepared to launch a massive logistical effort to deliver relief supplies to Gaza.

Multiple sources with knowledge of meetings at the base said they were surprised and confused to find that the biggest challenge was political, and almost immediately began clashing with their Israeli counterparts over some restrictions.

There was an early skirmish over tent poles. As winter approaches, shelter becomes a critical need as Israeli attacks have destroyed nine out of 10 Palestinian homes, but Israel considers metal tent poles a “dual use” for sturdy winter-proof tents.

U.S. officials at the CMCC quickly compiled a list of at least a dozen essential humanitarian items they wanted removed from the dual-use list; with tent poles at the top. Weeks later, Israel has not lifted restrictions on any of these.

“It is certainly not security interests that are driving the decision-making process here,” a Western source said. “The dual-use list is another way to control those entering Gaza.”

Restrictions on the type and quantity of goods brought into Gaza existed long before the current war. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from the region in 2005 but maintained effective control of the borders and used this to impose a blockade.

“This has always been a form of control over the well-being of the population,” Gisha manager Hary said. “Whether it is the minimum human standards that we are looking at now, or the minimum human standards of previous years in terms of development and innovation in economic life, construction, industry, technology and agriculture.”

The dual-use list, which requires security assessment and allows imports of goods into Gaza, has been a particular concern since its implementation.

Its scope is quite broad and is confidential until an article is rejected and arbitrarily imposed. Earlier versions, obtained by Gisha through legal action, included categories such as “communications equipment”; It is so broad that it can cover most modern electronics.

Products banned from dual-use areas in the past two years include solar panels, smoke detectors, crutches, wheelchairs and walkers.

Aid groups have collaborated to compile an unofficial list of rejected items in an effort to limit the amount of time and money spent importing things that are unlikely to win approval. However, it is time consuming.

International pressure on Israel regarding the dual-use list has also diminished in the last two years, even with the establishment of the CMCC.

Diplomats are concerned about an increase in violence in the West Bank and uncertainty about long-term plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, as aid groups discuss the possibility of deregistering Israel.

The dual-use list is not the only bureaucratic obstacle limiting the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Some products were banned because Israel decided they did not meet urgent humanitarian needs.

This category includes paper and pencils to restart schools after two years in which 600,000 children were left without education, and frozen beef and mutton to feed an undernourished population. While aid organizations were limited to chicken, commercial traders were able to bring all kinds of meat.

The limited number of crossings and opening hours into Gaza, as well as delays in approving the routes of convoys within the vital zone to ensure they do not come under Israeli attack, serve to slow the entry of vital supplies.

Data provided by the Israeli military and analyzed by Israel shows that the overall aid flow to Gaza is well below the levels agreed upon under the ceasefire. Associated Press showed.

U.N.-backed food security experts said last week that food shipments had increased enough to stave off famine, but hunger was still widespread. About 1.6 million people were expected to face “crisis” hunger in the next four months, and the region could slide back into famine if the ceasefire was broken.

Winter and lack of shelter exacerbate the impact of long-term malnutrition, especially on young children. At least three people have died from hypothermia this month, the UN said.