Israel has announced the lifting of its ban on commercial exports from the Gaza Strip, effective this coming Sunday.
The decision comes after a days-long embargo imposed by Israel, citing concerns over attempts to smuggle explosives.
The Palestinian officials expressed relief on Friday, as this move is expected to alleviate the economic strain on the besieged region.
The ban had taken a toll on thousands of families and threatened the livelihoods of Gaza’s residents.
The controversy began last Monday when Israeli inspectors discovered several kilograms of high-quality explosives hidden within clothing shipments.
As a temporary measure, Israel halted the outbound flow of commercial goods from Gaza.
The Palestinian Presidential Committee for Coordinating Goods issued a statement, saying, “The Israeli side has just informed us of the Israeli government’s decision to reopen exports from Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, starting from Sunday, as it was before the recent closure.”
As of now, there has been no comment from the Israeli government’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which oversees Israeli government activities in Palestinian territories.
Gaza has faced significant challenges since Hamas assumed control of the territory in 2007, including one of the highest unemployment rates globally due to Israel’s economic blockade.
Additionally, Gaza has suffered extensive damage from four major wars and several skirmishes with Israel.
