The increasingly difficult living conditions faced by Gaza residents are due to pressures being forced on the population mostly by the ruling Hamas terrorist organization — but also by the Ramallah government as well, according to IDF Major-General Yoav Mordechai, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).
Last Thursday, 9,896 tons of goods in 350 trucks entered Gaza via the Kerem Shalom land crossing, according to the IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), in addition to five ambulance crossings via the Erez Crossing.
Major-General Mordechai told U.S. Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt that both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority were both to blame for the hardships faced by Gazans.
During a tour of the Gaza border with Greenblatt, Mordechai affirmed that “the difficult situation in the Gaza Strip is the result of the policy of Hamas, who, instead of investing in civilian infrastructure, invests in terror tunnels and manufacturing weapons.”
But he said as well, “The policy of the Palestinian Authority is also to blame, as they do not invest enough in the Gaza Strip, and they impose sanctions on its residents.”
The major-general added that he “hopes that the international community and the Palestinians understand this.”
As COGAT, Mordechai is responsible for the implementation of civil and humanitarian policy in Judea, Samaria and Gaza and sees much of the human side of what happens in the territories as well as the statistical end.
Earlier this month Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree stating that beginning in Fall 2018, residents of Gaza would lose the “tax exemption” they have had in recent years.
According to the report, Gaza residents will be forced to pay a 20 percent income tax, land taxes, and 17 percent VAT on all products. In addition, customs duties are to undergo a steep hike – from 12 to 27 percent on shoes, from 6 to 15 percent on clothing, and from 12 to 20 percent on furniture, for example.
The decree is to be discussed prior to final approval by the Palestinian Authority parliament at its next session. It is believed that Abbas is hoping to use this economic leverage to overthrow Hamas as the ruler of Gaza but it is questionable as to whether this tactic will succeed.
In a subsequent post on Twitter on Sunday, Greenblatt pointed out, “Hamas wastes resources on tunnels and rockets to attack Israel, instead of helping the people of Gaza by getting the lights on, the water flowing and the economy growing. “Hamas spews hateful rhetoric and foments a vicious cycle of violence,” he added. “Gaza deserves better!”