[ad_1]
Palestinian researcher Saad Wahidi said that given the ongoing genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, the idea of reporting on the daily concerns of citizens, their forms and how more than two million people manage their lives and finances has disappeared.
Wahidi explained in an interview: Raya Media NetworkThe financial sector has been an easy target since the first days of the aggression against the Gaza Strip, but the policies pursued by the occupation have gradually begun to end, leading to the destruction and neutralization of the banking system.
He stressed that the occupation forces’ aggression focused on banks, especially the main and largest branch of the Bank of Palestine in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, confiscating more than 200 million shekels from the Gaza Strip and destroying the bank’s ATMs.
Wahidi said that only one ATM machine in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, is still in use, serving more than 2 million Gaza citizens, and it is difficult to provide funds and withdraw money. It has been out of service more times than it has been working normally.
He noted that the occupation forces raided the Palestinian Bank and seized dozens of cases of money, gold and everything that reached the occupation forces from homes, companies and houses raided during its ground operations in the Gaza Strip. Soldiers were also recorded.
Wasted money in Gaza
Wahidi explained that since all official banks operating in the Gaza Strip have ceased services; it is no longer possible for financial banks to dispose of or replace worn-out currency, as hundreds of thousands of citizens have large amounts of it.
He stressed that there were citizens who had 40 or 50 thousand shekels or thousands of dollars that they had extracted from under the rubble of destroyed houses, which were damaged or torn, but no one accepted the trade or exchange, even though their owners were willing to offer half of it.
The spread of gangs and hooligans in the sector
Wahidi said in an interview:Banner“Some gangs and hooligans take advantage of the lack of security and repeated targeting, which allows them to be present and exert influence in some areas of the Gaza Strip.
He said some gangs imposed a “fraud tax” on anyone who wanted to use an ATM, or they emptied the ATMs and handed them over personally to anyone who wanted to access cash from their own account at the ATM.
The emergence of remittance offices
According to Al-Wahidi, new offices have emerged that provide remittance services within and outside the country through its long-standing and extensive network of collaborators, as these entities are characterized by their ability to reach most areas of the Gaza Strip and low commissions.
He stressed that since the beginning of the aggression, the commissions deducted from funds have increased, for example, a few days ago the commission for transferring money from abroad to Gaza increased from 5% to 50%, which means that half of the amount is deducted as “commission”.
Wahidi explained that the exchange rate of the US dollar in Gaza after deducting the commission is 2.8 shekels per dollar, which means that in addition to the original commission, a new amount is deducted, reaching 50%, for example, sending $100 to Gaza is. Delivery (only 140 shekels).
He added that the institutions or individuals who make these transfers control the amounts exchanged and control the commissions, noting that commissions have stabilized in some areas of the Gaza Strip but have reached quite high levels in some areas.
Financial liquidity crisis
He stressed that there is a crisis in the provision of financial liquidity in Gaza and that banks and the Palestine Monetary Authority have issued clear statements on the matter, indicating that there are people who have bank accounts but cannot benefit from them.
Researcher and author Saad Wahidi said that due to the lack of liquidity, citizens are unable to benefit from the funds in their bank accounts, as ATMs are empty of cash and exchange offices are out of service.
[ad_2]
Source link
