Israel says commercial goods will not enter Gaza - Israel said that commercial goods will no longer enter Gaza Strip, cutting off key source of food and shelter supply for war-torn territory as hungry Palestinians face approach of winter.
COGAT, Israeli military body that oversees humanitarian affairs in Gaza, announced suspension of commercial goods in Wednesday statement. It was not clear whether they made decision. COGAT said it was relaying statement from Gaza merchants, claim Palestinians refuted. Move stands to immediately reduce Gaza's supplies, because closed-off territory is completely reliant on whatever goods Israel allows in through border crossings. Suspension also raised fears about affordability, with humanitarian workers saying combination of aid and robust commercial market is needed to keep prices under control.
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"The humanitarian sector on its own cannot meet the needs of all the people," said Shaina Low, spokesperson for Norwegian Refugee Council, an aid group. World's leading authority on food insecurity reported earlier that conditions in Gaza had improved since famine was declared in territory in August 202 but were still at crisis levels.
Ukraine pounds Russian oil sites as US relations teeter
- Brief energy truce over, says Zelensky; he adds that Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries as Moscow continues attacking. Lavrov calls Kyiv's attacks 'direct challenge' to Trump - Associated Press - Ukrainian drones attacked refinery in Russia's Ryazan region early Thursday, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that brief truce was over amid deepening tensions with Washington. Drone strike started fire at refinery about 300 km southeast of Moscow, Russia's Defence Ministry and Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said. Russia's Astra online news outlet posted what it said was photograph of blaze. Senior Ukrainian official confirmed that Ukraine had hit refinery. Strike could further complicate Kyiv's relations with US President Donald Trump, which have soured again in recent days. Mr. Zelensky was outraged by Russia's continuing aerial bombardment of his country's energy infrastructure in apparent defiance of Mr. Trump's demand on Sunday for both sides to halt those attacks. He added that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries would resume.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labelled Ukraine's strikes on oil facilities as "direct and crude challenge to President Trump".
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Analytically, Gaza commercial goods ban shows Israel shifting from aid-only model to total control - commercial goods were 60% of Gaza supplies before war, cheaper than aid. Banning them forces reliance on aid, which is insufficient and politicised.
For India, which has called for ceasefire and supports two-state solution, commercial ban complicates its humanitarian aid - 70 tonnes sent via Egypt last month may not enter if commercial crossings closed. India also watching oil prices - any Gaza escalation raises crude, already over $100 due to Houthi attacks on Strait of Hormuz.
Winter approaching means shelter material needed - commercial ban hits that too.
Tags: #Gaza #Israel #CommercialGoods #COGAT #HumanitarianCrisis #Ukraine #RussianOil #Ryazan #Famine