Gaza Aid Revolution: Private Goods Allowed Under Tight Security
Israel has launched a new mechanism to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza by allowing vetted private merchants to deliver essential goods under strict oversight, aiming to reduce reliance on international organizations. The initiative seeks to ensure aid reaches civilians while preventing Hamas from diverting supplies, amid ongoing conflict and hostage crises.
Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unveiled a new system to enhance humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza by resuming private sector goods entry under stringent oversight, aiming to reduce reliance on international organizations like the UN. The initiative, approved by the Israeli Cabinet, seeks to increase the volume of essential supplies reaching Gaza’s 2.3 million residents while preventing Hamas from exploiting aid, as it has reportedly diverted 50% of supplies, per UNRWA data. The move comes amid ongoing conflict, with 60,000 Palestinian deaths reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry since October 2023, and heightened global scrutiny following Hamas’s release of videos showing hostages in dire conditions.
Under the new framework, a select group of local merchants, rigorously vetted through security screenings, are permitted to supply goods. Approved items include basic food staples, baby formula, fresh produce, and hygiene products, addressing critical shortages in Gaza amid food insecurity, per the World Food Programme. All transactions must occur via bank transfers, monitored by a dedicated system to ensure transparency. COGAT emphasized that, in collaboration with security agencies, “monitoring and oversight procedures” will be enforced to secure aid distribution and block Hamas involvement, which has historically imposed “taxes” on aid convoys.
The initiative builds on existing measures, such as IDF-coordinated humanitarian pauses and corridors in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Al-Mawasi, which facilitated 2,500 aid trucks in July 2025 alone. Israel’s collaboration with the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aims to bypass Hamas’s 1,500-kilometer tunnel network used to hoard supplies. Social media on X praised the move, with one user stating, “Israel’s new aid system could break Hamas’s grip on Gaza’s lifeline.” The policy reflects Israel’s dual aim of addressing humanitarian needs while countering Hamas’s control, amid stalled ceasefire talks and the ongoing plight of 49 remaining hostages.