Saleh Runs Up $125,000 Debt to Support Gaza Family as Prices Hit 100-Fold Increases
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 8
Saleh Runs Up $125,000 Debt to Support Gaza Family as Prices Hit 100-Fold Increases
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 8
Summary
More than $125,000 in debt, Saleh has drained his savings, borrowed from friends and quit his London restaurant job to keep sending money to relatives in Gaza; he still transfers about $2,500 a month.
Prices exploded because Israel sharply restricted trade, limited import permits to a handful of Palestinian businesses and maintained broad bans, creating layers of fees and a black market where flour rose from $0.50 to $27 and eggs from $2.50 to $130.
Truck entries fell to 14 per business day early in the war from about 400 before Oct. 7, while merchants said coordination fees alone reached $70,000 to $100,000 for some produce loads and total wartime fees topped $1.5 billion by March 2026.
Israeli indictments in 2026 exposed alleged smuggling networks tied to security personnel, including a figure known as Abu Basel and an official accused of taking nearly $3 million in bribes to move restricted goods into Gaza.
Even after a cease-fire, Gaza's cost of living remains punishing for families dependent on remittances, leaving Saleh financing food, medicine and shelter while his father's health worsens and his family continues grieving a brother killed in a 2025 strike.
As Israeli officials face smuggling charges, is Gaza's blockade a security measure or a system for wartime profiteering?
The UN reports mass starvation while Israel claims hundreds of aid trucks enter daily. Where is the aid actually going?
Gaza in 2026: Humanitarian Meltdown, Economic Ruin, and the Global Fallout of War
Overview
As of June 2026, Gaza faces an unprecedented humanitarian and economic crisis, with ordinary people struggling to survive amid soaring prices and a severe lack of cash. The wartime economy, shaped by Israel’s restrictive entry policies and high coordination fees, has led to extreme scarcity. Only a fraction of the needed supply trucks are allowed in, and a monopoly system limits who can import goods, causing prices for essentials like flour and eggs to skyrocket. The situation worsened after Israel’s war with Iran began, with truck entries dropping by 80%, deepening the crisis for Gazans.