Taxes, customs, and excise in the Gaza Strip: between reality and aspiration

An analysis of the reality of taxes, customs, and excise in the Gaza Strip after the war, where the GDP shrank by about 84% in 2025 compared to 2023. The article calls for a flexible and fair tax reform, including temporary exemptions for affected sectors, facilities for small projects, digitization of collection, and transforming customs into tools for market regulation and protecting local production.

An analysis of the reality of taxes, customs, and excise in the Gaza Strip after the war, by Muhammad Yazid al-Nazer. The article indicates that these revenues constitute a main source for funding government services, but their reality in Gaza differs fundamentally due to the war and destruction. According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Finance, clearance revenues constituted 63.8% of total government revenues in the 2025 budget, while local revenues constituted 36.2%. In Gaza, the GDP shrank by about 84% in 2025 compared to 2023, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The article calls for rethinking tax policy, proposing temporary exemptions or reductions for affected sectors, facilities for small projects, rescheduling arrears, along with digitizing collection and enhancing transparency. Customs and excise should also be transformed into tools for market regulation and protecting local production, and facilitating the entry of food, medicine, and reconstruction materials. The article concludes that the success of tax reform is measured by its ability to restart the wheel of production, investment, and employment.