Norwegian Refugee Council

Force in Play

Warns markets must function to prevent famine

Commercial trucks began entering Gaza again on October 19, after merchants said Hamas had withdrawn its demand for 10,000 shekels ($3,225) per truck. Israel's military body that runs the crossings said payments must now go through bank transfers, and that any merchant found to have paid Hamas would be barred from importing.

Updated Oct 22

Force in Play

Permit denied, must cease Gaza operations January 1, 2026

Israel's effort to ban aid groups from Gaza hit a legal snag in late February 2026. On February 27, Israel's Supreme Court temporarily froze a government decision to suspend the operations of 37 de-registered international aid organizations working in the occupied Palestinian territory. The decision came after Amnesty International documented how the restrictions compounded harms on Palestinian women, who were forced to give birth without adequate care and faced interrupted treatment for cancer and other chronic illnesses.

Updated Oct 16