COGAT says merchants suspended shipments over Hamas's forced taxation and threats
Coordination of Government Activities in the TerritoriesIsraeli Ministry of Defense unit that coordinates the entry of goods into Gaza, in a post on its X account
COGAT says Gaza merchants told it they suspended the coordination of commercial trucks into Gaza out of fear for their safety, because of what it calls Hamas's forced taxation mechanism and threats against merchants who refuse to comply.
Responding to
Gaza merchants suspended the coordination of commercial goods into Gaza because Hamas demanded about 10,000 shekels per truck, required about 30 percent of goods to be sold in cash and threatened merchants who refused.
“private-sector merchants informed COGAT that, due to Hamas's forced taxation mechanism and threats against merchants who refuse to comply with its demands, they had decided to suspend the coordination of trucks carrying goods into the Gaza Strip until further notice, out of genuine fear for their lives and safety.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
Israel says commercial goods stopped entering Gaza over Hamas truck fees; Gaza's government denies imposing them
Israel's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said on October 14, 2026 that commercial goods had stopped entering the Gaza Strip because Gaza merchants had suspended the coordination of their trucks. COGAT said the merchants told it that Hamas demanded about 10,000 shekels per truck and that about 30 percent of goods be sold in cash, and that Hamas threatened merchants who refused. Gaza's Government Media Office denied imposing any taxes or fees on commercial trucks and said the 10,000 shekels was part of a voluntary community initiative that funds aid for orphans, widows and other vulnerable groups. The head of Gaza's private truckers union told the Associated Press that Israel, not the merchants, had imposed the restrictions. On October 19, COGAT said coordination would resume gradually after merchants reported that Hamas had withdrawn the demands.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
COGAT's post saying Gaza merchants suspended the coordination of commercial trucks because of Hamas's taxation demands and threats, and that humanitarian aid continues to enter.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The post opens by saying that, contrary to recent reports echoed by Hamas, Israel did not initiate the suspension of private-sector shipments of goods into the Gaza Strip.
After the quotation
The post says the merchants reported that Hamas demands about 10,000 shekels for every truck and requires about 30 percent of goods to be sold in cash, and that Hamas security personnel arrested a merchant's son after his father refused to pay. It says humanitarian aid continues to enter Gaza through the UN, international organizations and donor countries.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the payment of about 10,000 shekels per truck that Gaza's Hamas-run authorities sought from merchants bringing commercial goods into Gaza, which Israel cites for the October 2026 halt in commercial shipments. COGAT calls the payment part of a forced taxation mechanism enforced with threats against merchants, a direct criticism of it.
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- People and groups discussed
- Hamas
More from this case
Read the full caseGaza's Government Media Office denies imposing taxes or fees on commercial trucks
Government Media Office (Gaza)
“We categorically deny the imposition of any government taxes or fees on commercial trucks. (Translated from Arabic. Original: ننفي نفياً قاطعاً فرض أي ضرائب أو رسوم حكومية على الشاحنات التجارية.)”Read statement
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- COGAT says merchants suspended shipments over Hamas's forced taxation and threats
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The Dispute Index. "COGAT says merchants suspended shipments over Hamas's forced taxation and threats". First published: 2026-10-21. Last updated: 2026-10-21. https://disputeindex.com/events/6419-cogat-says-gaza-merchants-told-it-they-suspended