Ghazi, who lives in miserable conditions, could not have imagined the arrival of the iPhone Pro Max 18, which was recently put on sale in various countries around the world, at a time when Israel imposes severe restrictions on the entry of goods into the Gaza Strip, including modern mobile phones and computers, in addition to dozens, if not hundreds, of basic and secondary needs missing in the markets.
The price of the phone, which was offered in Gaza for a very large amount compared to its prices in the markets of neighboring countries, reached more than 28 thousand shekels according to the latest price until Saturday, after it reached 40 thousand shekels when it first arrived about a week ago (the dollar exchange rate is 3.05 shekels, according to the exchange rates on Saturday). This compares to less than 6 thousand shekels, which is the price of the same device in the West Bank. Despite its high price in Gaza, the phone witnessed rapid demand from some capitalists, merchants and their families.
What draws attention is not only the price of the device, but the method of its arrival in light of the severe ban imposed by Israel on the entry of any devices. A dealer in a mobile phone exhibition in Gaza City told Asharq Al-Awsat that this device arrived in limited quantities, after it was smuggled through the crossings and ports of the Gaza Strip, which are completely controlled by the Israeli occupation forces.
The merchant, who preferred to remain anonymous for personal reasons, explained that he bought the phone from major merchants in Gaza, some of whom are active in smuggling certain goods in various ways. He said that some of these merchants were previously proven to be involved in relationships with Israeli merchants linked to officers and soldiers, along with officers in the Israeli Shin Bet, who facilitated for them during the war the entry of materials that Israel prohibits entry, such as mobile phones, solar energy equipment, cigarettes, and other goods whose entry is still prohibited.
Information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat from some merchants indicates that there are smuggling operations carried out in coordination between merchants from Gaza and others from the Israeli side, and that the latter party is the one who pays money to officers and soldiers to facilitate the arrival of these goods, and that some smuggling operations were sometimes carried out via drones arriving from the Israeli side to the Gaza Strip, carrying prohibited materials such as drugs, phones, etc.
A merchant from Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, who currently lives in what has become known as the commercial capital of the Strip, the city of Deir al-Balah in the central region, reveals that a number of prohibited goods are smuggled by armed gangs located in areas under Israeli control inside the Strip using many fraudulent methods.
According to the merchant who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, there are many ways to circumvent the Israeli restrictions, but despite all these methods, smuggling operations do not meet the sufficient and necessary needs of the population, and it is not possible to provide everything, and the focus is on mobile phone devices, some technological goods, cigarettes and their supplies, and other materials that can be smuggled in one way or another.
The merchant explained that some officials in the armed gangs were able to supply some merchants, in exchange for exorbitant sums of money, with the transportation of oils and batteries for vehicles, in addition to mobile phone screens and other things. He pointed out that the majority of the money was going into their own pockets, at a time when the goods came to them at small prices, but they were sold to the merchants at exorbitant prices, and in turn, when they were presented in the markets in various ways, they were sold at higher prices, which generated a large financial profit.
The merchant says that there is a state of “chaos” and lack of control, whether by Israel or “Hamas”, to control the conditions at the crossings and the entry of goods, which is allowed by the current reality, pointing out that there is a clear involvement of many parties in the ongoing smuggling operations, and this matter has produced new merchants who are now called “war merchants”. Before that, they did not have money and today they are the capital of the sector, while many of the real merchants disappeared after the war took their trade to the abyss, and they lost what They have.
Israeli restrictions push many merchants to search for ways to smuggle what can be smuggled, in an attempt to compensate the residents of the Gaza Strip for some of what they are missing. However, the majority of what enters through these methods falls within the category of secondary or luxury goods, despite the population’s need for them, such as mobile phones and cigarettes, at a time when they lack many basic needs, including vegetables, fruits, and meat, which do not enter on a regular basis. The prices of these goods fluctuate up and down depending on whether their entry is permitted or prohibited by the Israeli side, while their prices remained higher than pre-war levels, which deprived many marginalized groups of the ability to obtain them.
Israel also prevents many basic necessities, such as medical materials and medicines necessary for those with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, etc., while also prohibiting the entry of the Qur’an, kitchen knives and their equipment, and textbooks for the various educational stages. While it allows the entry of recreational and secondary materials and goods, such as beverages of various types, chocolate of various types, makeup, perfumes, and other secondary needs, but at the same time it imposes huge sums of money on this equipment to coordinate their entry, it also sometimes stops their entry to create crises before allowing its entry again.
Gaza residents face a severe shortage of tents, tents, wood, iron, and other supplies needed to provide temporary housing. Sometimes it is allowed to bring in some tents and tents, whether for institutions or merchants who sell them at exorbitant prices. Flour is also not available on a regular basis, which leads to its prices fluctuating up and down depending on the size of the quantities allowed to be imported. The population also suffers from a severe shortage of oils, filters, fuel, and other supplies related to the operation of vehicles and electric generators, which Israel prohibits the entry of completely, which prompts some merchants to smuggle quantities of them in various ways and sell them at high prices. This contributed to increasing transportation costs and the prices of electricity provided by commercial generators, which increased the burden of living on residents.
In July of last year, Asharq Al-Awsat revealed that Israeli officers had received bribes in exchange for bringing goods prohibited by the Israeli side into the Gaza Strip, which was then suffering from severe crises, before later announcing a ceasefire in October of the same year. Months after Asharq Al-Awsat revealed, Israeli investigations revealed the involvement of senior officers, including the brother of the head of the Israeli Shin Bet, David Zinni, in smuggling operations, which led to indictments and the imposition of penalties on those involved.
