Gaza Economy Ministry Reactivates Import Permits and Tightens Market Oversight

The Ministry of Economy in Gaza has reactivated the 'import permit' system after it was suspended during the war, aiming to regulate the entry of goods and control markets. Director General Dr. Muhammad Barbakh confirmed the development of an electronic application mechanism, with stricter oversight of violations. Consumer protection teams conducted 144 inspection tours and 1,689 field visits, summoned 23 merchants, issued 33 seizure reports and 109 destruction reports, and seized 49,973 tons of non-compliant materials.

The Ministry of Economy in Gaza announced the reactivation of the 'import permit' system after it was suspended during the war, as confirmed by the Director General for Studies, Development, and Economic Development, Dr. Muhammad Barbakh. The system aims to regulate the entry of goods into the sector, control local markets, balance supply and demand, and reduce commercial chaos. Barbakh explained that the system allows the ministry to track items, quantities, arrival dates, and country of origin, ensuring compliance with Palestinian standards. The application process has been developed to be electronic, while in-person applications remain possible. He stressed that the ministry will deal firmly with violations, and measures may include halting shipments at crossings. The ministry is also working to facilitate the entry of essential goods that have seen shortages, such as printing paper, chairs, kitchen and cleaning tools, while batteries and solar panels have not yet been imported, and vehicle oils are limited to the health sector and bakeries. Regarding cooking gas, it is distributed directly to citizens, and the ministry is reviewing beneficiary lists to exclude those not eligible. Consumer protection teams conducted 144 inspection tours and 1,689 field visits, summoned 23 merchants, issued 33 seizure reports and 109 destruction reports, seized 49,973 tons of non-compliant materials, and destroyed 23,817 tons due to unsuitability. The ministry also followed up on 17 complaints from citizens.