‘Israel’ says Gaza farmers must remove tomatoes crowns to export them
Gaza Strip (QNN)- Israeli occupation authorities have placed a new restriction on Palestinian tomato farmers in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Agriculture Ministry said on Wednesday that ‘Israel’ had asked the farmers in Gaza to remove the crown of the tomato before they will allow trucks carrying the fruit to pass through the Karm Abu Salem crossing, which Israel uses in controlling the movement of lorries passing to the Israeli-occupied Palestine and the occupied West Bank.
Watch | The Israeli occupation authorities, having full control over the border crossings with the Gaza Strip, are imposing unreasonable conditions on agricultural exports in the blockaded enclave. pic.twitter.com/yi7LLMjfMD
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 23, 2021
The Israeli occupation authorities haven’t explained why they had asked for the removal, however, such restriction will lead to their shipments of the fruit to markets in the occupied West Bank and Arab countries rotting more quickly.
‘Israel’ has imposed a land, air and sea blockade for about 14 years against the Gaza Strip since 2007, controlling the movement of lorries passing to the Israeli-occupied Palestine and the occupied West Bank.
Since May, Israel has blocked almost 6,500 lorries from entering Gaza that were carrying shipments of manufacturing oils, tyres and car parts among other goods, while a further 300 truckloads of vegetables, clothes and furniture were refused permission to exit the enclave, according to the Gaza District Chamber of Commerce.
This came after its 11-day aggression on the Gaza Strip, which started on May 10 and ended with a ceasefire brokered by mediator Egypt on May 21, killing at least 279 Palestinians, including 69 children and 40 women and injuring 1,910 others.
Palestinian farmers in Gaza, who rely financially on shipping their crops, say they have sustained a total loss of more than $16m since May following Israel’s closure of the crossings.
