For the first time in five years, Israel on Monday permitted for goods manufactured in Gaza to be transferred to the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria.
According to a report in Haaretz, two trucks with packs of biscuits made their way from Gaza to Judea and Samaria, and an additional 11 trucks are to make their way soon. The transfer of the goods comes as part of the World Food Program for school children in Judea and Samaria.
Muhammad al-Talbani, a biscuit factory owner in the Gazan city of Deir el-Balah told Haaretz, “They let me export after eight months of negotiations. WFP bought 150 tons of cookies from me.”
The Hamas terror group, which controls Gaza, often claims there is a humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave, which it blames on Israel.
However, Israel allows various goods to enter Gaza. For example, it began allowing construction materials for pre-approved projects like schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure to enter Gaza in early 2011.
In addition to allowing construction material and other goods to enter Gaza, Israel also allows exporting of agricultural products, such as strawberries and carnations, from Gaza to Europe, as part of an extensive project financed by the Dutch government. Recently it was announced that, in addition to the agricultural exports, Gaza will soon be able to export furniture to Europe as part of a new pilot program.
Gaza has just recently begun exporting tomatoes to Saudi Arabia. The tomatoes were transferred to Israel through the Kerem Shalom crossing on February 8, and a day later were exported abroad via the Allenby Bridge. Several days before that, Gaza exported 31 tons of tomatoes to Jordan.
Hamas “returns the favor” by turning a blind eye when Gaza-based terrorists fire countless numbers of missiles and rockets into southern Israel.