Latest News
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Ukraine drone attack damages port, gas pipeline in Tuapse, Russia says
The regional administration reported that a Ukrainian drone attacked the port infrastructure and a gas pipe in a residential area in Russia's Black Sea Port of Tuapse on Wednesday. No injuries were reported. The operational headquarters of Krasnodar Region said via the Telegram messaging application that emergency crews had been dispatched to repair damage. The port's dock had been damaged. A Telegram news channel with Russian security service sources said that a series of explosions were heard late Tuesday over Tuapse and residents in one area reported a fire. On?Telegram, several Ukrainian media outlets, including RBC-Ukraine, published photos that appeared to show a fire in the distance burning at night with a communication mast in the foreground. Ukraine did not immediately comment on the attack. Could not independently verify the report, or the extent to which the damage was caused. Tuapse, one of Russia's most important Black Sea outlets for oil, is anchored by Rosneft Tuapse's export oriented refinery. It has a capacity to process 240,000 barrels a day and provides products such as naphtha fuel oil, and diesel. The port and refinery were repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drones during the war that Russia started nearly four years earlier. Previous strikes reportedly caused fires or disrupted operations. Reporting by Lidia Kelley in Melbourne, Editing by Chris Reese & Lincoln Feast.
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CSX train carrying toxic sulfur derailments near Kentucky-Tennessee border
Emergency officials?stated that a CSX derailment near the 'Kentucky/Tennessee border early on Tuesday caused 30 cars to 'fall off the tracks. One car was?carrying molten sulfur, which caught fire, and prompted a halt in the train until the toxic threat cleared. CSX, Todd County emergency officials, and the Kentucky Department of Transportation are still investigating what caused the derailment near rural 'Trenton, Kentucky. The town has about 350 residents, is located 60 miles north of Nashville in Tennessee. The accident happened around 7 a.m. Firefighters battled a fire from a rail car carrying liquid sulfur. This is commonly used in industrial applications such as fertilizer manufacturing. Officials said that it released toxic gasses in the smoke. Todd County Emergency Management said the fire was contained by noon. Officials confirmed that air quality testing has shown there is no threat to the public. There were no reported injuries. CSX shares fell just under 1% to $36.36.
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Sheinbaum under pressure over megaprojects after Mexico train derailment
Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum deferred Tuesday questions about the?record of a passenger?train that derailed at the weekend, killing thirteen people and injuring another 98. This was the latest of several accidents that put pressure on the?government? to improve the safety on flagship projects. Opposition lawmakers have demanded an investigation after questioning the conductor, who survived. Sheinbaum told her Tuesday regular press conference that the prosecutor's office had already interviewed several people, including the operator. They will need to report on what happens next. This is the third train crash this year in Mexico. Two derailments have occurred on the new tourist-oriented Mayan Train on the Yucatan Peninsula. In both accidents, no one was injured. Mexico's military operates the Mayan Train as well as the Interoceanic Train, both of which derailed on the Sunday. This has led to some questioning its role in delivering safety to flagship infrastructure projects. Gustavo Flores Macias is the dean of University of Maryland School of Public Policy. He said that the government should pay close attention to the safety record of the railroad and take great measures to find out the cause of this derailment. According to?local media outlets, the crash occurred as the train was rounding a curve. The crash occurred on the Interoceanic Railway of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec - a narrow strip of land that connects the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. The railway is part of the Interoceanic Corridor project, launched by Sheinbaum’s mentor and predecessor, former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in 2023, to create an alternative to Panama Canal. The project was also accused of a lack of oversight, corruption and possible conflicts of interest. In a report for 2020, the federal audit office of Mexico reported irregularities, including an overpayment of materials, in four Interoceanic Train contracts. Local media outlets reported after the crash that Lopez Obrador’s sons’ associates could have benefitted from government contracts related to major infrastructure projects. This includes the Interoceanic Train. Lopez Obrador denied the allegations, calling them political motivated. The opposition lawmakers demanded an independent investigation of the accident. Alejandro Moreno of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) urged the government not to allow any projects to be undertaken that are linked to former President's sons or their business partners. Senator Mario Vazquez, of the National Action Party (PAN), called the derailment a "criminal neglect." Antonio Ocaranza is a Mexican political consultant who believes that the accident could undermine Sheinbaum’s infrastructure plan. "The discussion around this accident could lead to a wider and more damaging conversation regarding other projects," Ocaranza stated, pointing out the Mayan Train as well as the Olmeca Refinery, two megaprojects that have ballooning budgets. He said that if accidents became more frequent, and their causes were deemed to be unreliable then there would be an increased level of public scrutiny as well as a greater cost for the government. (Reporting and editing by Emily Green, Rosalba o'Brien and Raul Cortes)
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Europe stocks close at another record high as banks and miners lead
The European stock market closed at a record level for the second consecutive day on Tuesday. This was boosted by commodity-linked stocks and banks, but gains were limited by thin trading in the year-end period. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose by 0.6% to?592.78, moving ever closer to 600 points. Aerospace and Defence gained 1.4%, while banks jumped 1.3%. The defence index is on track to achieve its largest annual gain since 1996 despite the fact that it has been easing off since October. This is due to increased defence spending pledged across Europe. STOXX 600 rose 1.7% as basic resources continued to rise, with silver and gold stabilizing after a sharp decline from record highs. Energy increased by 0.7%. Oil prices rose by more than 2% the previous session, after Russia accused Ukraine for attacking the residence of President Vladimir Putin. Investors were looking for clearer signals about peace talks in Ukraine. Technology rose 0.7%, while all STOXX 600 indexes were green. The benchmark index for London and Germany both rose by 0.7%. The index is on track to achieve its best annual performance since 2021 as 2025 approaches. This is due to the combination of falling interest rates, Germany’s commitment to fiscal growth, and investors moving away from high-valued U.S. tech stocks. Danni Hewson is the head of financial analyses at AJ Bell. On Wednesday, many European exchanges are closed. Others, such as London and Paris will have shortened sessions in advance of the New Year's holiday. Trading is expected to be light due to the holiday-shortened week. Investors are relying on the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting minutes for the December meeting, which is due later today. Kathleen Brooks is the research director for XTB. She said, "The market mood for European equities at present is'very positive and strong. We expect to see more of this strong performance for 2026, especially for European banks and defence stocks." Fresnillo, a stock that is not included in the benchmark index, climbed by?6,8%. Citi analysts maintained a Buy rating for the stock, but raised the target price. Airbus climbed 1.5% after Air China's s Signing an agreement The planemaker will purchase 60 A320NEO aircraft in a deal valued at around $9.5 billion, based on list prices. (Reporting and editing by Ragini Mathematics in Bengaluru, Harikrishnan Nair, Louise Heavens and Rashmi aich)
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Travel chaos caused by power failure in the Channel Tunnel
A power failure caused the suspension of train services in the Channel Tunnel, which connects Britain with continental Europe. This has created chaos during peak travel times for winter holidays. A fault in overhead power supply caused a 'disruption' that disrupted plans for thousands of?passengers? in London, Paris and Amsterdam, during the busiest week of travel of the year. Eurostar, the high-speed rail operator, posted a statement at 1530 GMT on its website stating that the tunnel of 50 km (31 miles) was partially reopened. Services were gradually resumed. It warned passengers, however, that the fault continued. Eurostar said that it strongly recommended that passengers delay their travel dates. Getlink, the company that operates tunnel infrastructure, as well as the Le Shuttle service for cars and trucks, has announced that repairs are being made to the power supply and traffic services in both directions have been slowly restored. Getlink stated that the problem was a "technical issue" and there was no suspicion of foul play or sabotage. It added that additional services would be activated Tuesday evening and on Wednesday to help clear up the backlog. The disruption is occurring at the peak of the New Year travel period, when one of Europe's busiest international rail corridors is affected. HOLIDAY PLANS UPENDED After passing through passport checks and security in the terminal at Folkestone, several hundred Le Shuttle passengers were stuck in their cars. They were told for several hours that there were no trains and they couldn't go back because they had crossed the French control zone. The workers distributed diapers and baby foods. Alison Raby booked a day-trip to a Belgian theme park, but said that the delay rendered the trip pointless. "We're basically stuck," she said. Phil Groves, a fellow?passenger who worked for Britain's National Health Service, and was on his way to Paris for the New Year's Eve celebrations, claimed that he and family were stuck in Folkestone, England, for more than six hours, and had been held up in a “mammoth line”. "We were told the first train would be leaving soon, but we will not be on it because there are so many people in front of us!" He said when the services resumed. Port of Dover in Britain said that it operated a "turn up and go" system to accommodate passengers who were affected by the disruptions at the tunnel. It also stated that Channel ferry operators had enough capacity for extra passengers. Le Shuttle will carry 2.2 million vehicles, including 1.2 million trucks and passenger cars, through the tunnel by 2024. Eurostar served 19.5 million passengers in the same year. This was its best-ever performance. On Tuesday, stranded passengers filled the concourse of London's St Pancras Station. After an exchange with Eurostar staff, one passenger was led away from the station by police shouting: "I only want to know whether I will see my family." (Reporting from Louise Breusch Rasmussen, YannTessier, VitaliiYalahuzian, and Richard Lough in London, with writing by Richard Lough, Kirsty Donovan, Kevin Liffey and Mark Heinrich).
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Four people injured in Italian cable car crash, 100 people evacuated from mountain
Local authorities reported that helicopters assisted in bringing around 100 people to safety after a cable car crash on a mountain in the northwest of Italy. According to the Italian Fire Service, two cabins collided near the village of Macugnaga located in Piedmont. It was reported that three passengers in the upper carriage, as well as the cable car operator on the ground level, were injured. According to other Italian media, six people required medical attention. After the incident, nearby ski slopes were closed. Filippo Besozzi is the managing director of Macugnaga Transporti e Servizi, a lift operator. He told ANSA that one of their 'cabins' had failed to slow down in a way expected, and it hit a station barricade. He added, "Fortunately, there are no serious injury and no one's lives is in danger." Italian media reported that the cable car service was halted following the accident. The group of about 100 people, including children and foreign tourists, were left stranded at the upper station at Monte Moro Mountain at an elevation?of 2,800 metres for some time. The Italian broadcaster RAI stated that the installation was built in 1962, and that it had been renovated two years earlier at a cost of?2 million euros ($2.4million). Italy has had a history of cable car accidents. The most recent occurred in April, when four people were killed near Castellammare di Stabia (about 30 km south-east from Naples). In 2021, a cable car that connected the northern Lake Maggiore to a mountain nearby plunged into the ground. ($1 = 0.8503 Euros) (Written by Keith Weir and edited by Alvise Armillini)
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Data shows that oil tankers continue to arrive in Venezuela despite the US blockade
Two oil tankers?have made their way to Venezuela recently and other are navigating to the country. This is a sign that?state-run PDVSA has been trying to increase floating storage to keep selling crude despite a U.S. Blockade which has?reduced to a minimal exports. As part of a campaign to put pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, U.S. president Donald Trump announced this month a blockade against all vessels sanctioned by the U.S. government that enter or leave Venezuelan waters. This U.S. action has reduced oil exports to half their level in November. The U.S. seized two full cargoes Venezuelan oil, and their ships are patrolling in the Caribbean Sea. Many vessel owners have been scared by the pressure, causing them to reroute and make u-turns. A fraction of the ships are still on their way to the OPEC nation. Some tanker owners?insisted. According to the monitoring service TankerTrackers.com, at least two ships that were sanctioned have arrived in Venezuela within the past few days. Two more are on their way. Maduro’s government pays for oil-based purchases and services, including debt servicing to China. This is part of the swaps and agreements made since Maduro was placed under U.S. sanctions on energy in 2019. The two vessels that are approaching Venezuela belong to a fleet used by China and Venezuela for debt service, with crude oil bound for Chinese ports. Uncertain was whether China would press for a U.S. exemption to ensure delivery of these cargoes. PDVSA has not responded to a comment request. Venezuela's oil minister and Maduro both said that oil exports would continue. PDVSA is negotiating with customers to negotiate price discounts and contract modifications in order to avoid cargo return or crude production cuts. Sources at the company said that many buyers have become impatient because there are no other options to transport oil cargoes out of the country. PDVSA was forced to shut down their centralized administrative system due to a cyberattack this month. PDVSA is now delivering its cargoes to its ports at a lower pace to meet export loading windows and store crude and fuel on ships. This will increase its storage capacity. Shipping data and PDVSA documentation showed that the only vessels leaving with cargo are Chevron's oil tankers which continue to sail for the U.S. on Washington's permission, and small ships transporting petrochemicals and oil by-products. In 2020, Washington imposed sanctions on PDVSA’s main trading partners to increase pressure on Maduro. This forced Venezuela to switch to unknown intermediaries in order to continue selling oil to Chinese customers. These U.S. actions led to oil production cuts, oilfield closures, and a severe shortage of motor fuel. Venezuela took years to recover its refining capacity, stabilize exports and reach a production of 1 million barrels a day. As of this past week, nearly two dozen tankers could be seen from the shore near Jose port as they waited for loading windows or departure instructions. According to data and documents, the volume of oil in tankers that have not yet left port has increased from 11 million barrels to 16 million barrels. Marianna Pararaga is reporting and David Gregorio is editing.
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The 2025 energy transformation in eight charts: Clean wins and dirty setbacks, Maguire
The year 2025 was a bad one for supporters of energy transition: there were wind droughts in Europe and the United States, corporate retreats away from wind power, and a rise in coal-fired electricity. There were other developments worth celebrating, such as the record deployment of batteries storage systems and historic shares of power generated by solar farms in dozens countries. Also, electric vehicle sales continued to grow in important car markets. Eight charts are provided below that show some of the major milestones and developments in global energy transition progress for 2025. They also include key data points to track going into 2026 and beyond. CHINA'S CLEAN CLOUT GROWING China is the leader in clean energy production, with more solar, wind, nuclear and bioenergy power deployed than any other nation. The production of clean electricity is expected to grow for a seventh year in a row. Ember data show that the total output of clean electricity in 2025 has increased 15.4% compared to a year ago. In 2025, clean power sources will account for more than 40% (for the first time) of China's electricity supplied by utilities. Fossil fuels will see their share drop to an all-time low. The primary power source in China is fossil fuels, but clean energy has been growing four times faster since 2019. Clean power is expected to continue to grow in China as Beijing continues to expand its solar, nuclear, and battery power capacities over the next decade. According to Ember's customs data, China also makes its mark abroad with record clean-technology exports. These topped $180 billion in the first ten months of 2025. Batteries storage systems are China's largest clean-tech export with sales of nearly $66 billion, followed by EVs at around $54 billion. Exports of grid equipment, heating and cooling units and other hardware have also reached record highs by 2025. This cements China's position as the leading supplier for electrification in the world. U.S. SETBACK The U.S. clean-energy progress will reverse in 2025, compared to China's. This is because federal support for renewables has been slashed under the second U.S. administration of President Donald Trump. Tax credits for power developers will be drastically cut in the coming years, resulting in a reduction of clean energy investment and a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. The main source of electricity in the U.S. is natural gas. But in 2025 coal-fired power plants will deliver the largest jump in production, due to a surge in gas prices which squeezed utility margins. According to Ember, coal-fired electric output increased by 13% between January and November compared to a year ago, the highest level in three years. The U.S. power sector's emissions will also increase in 2025, because coal plants emit more CO2 than gas plants. They emit over 900,000. metric tons per terawatt-hour compared to about 550,000 tonnes for gas. Ember data show that total emissions from coal- and gas-fired plants reached 1,526 billion metric tonnes of CO2 between January and November. This is up 3% compared to the same period in the year 2024, and the highest level since 2021. As U.S. natural-gas prices are expected to be 50% higher in 2025 than they were in 2024, utilities will likely rely more on coal to meet winter demand. This means that the power sector will continue to pollute even more in 2026 and beyond. BATTERY BOOM & STEALTHY PROGRESS U.S. utilities increased coal consumption in 2025 but also installed record-breaking battery storage to store excess solar and wind energy for later use. According to the energy data portal Cleanview, total U.S. battery storage capacity exceeded 39 gigawatts by 2025. This is a 43% rise from 2024. This surge is changing the power flow in important electricity networks. California and Texas both have enough battery capacity added to their grids during peak demand. According to Grid Status, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which is the main grid of the state and the largest battery user in the country, uses batteries to provide around 15% to 18% of electricity at evening peak demand. This reduces the need for other power sources and gas. Electric Reliability Council of Texas, a more recent adopter of batteries systems, supplied around 3% of its electricity during peak demand from battery storage system - a modest amount but up from a near zero share just one year ago. In 2025, solar power systems will also be a major player in the electricity supply of several countries. Solar power is usually associated with China and the U.S., but the widespread adoption of solar in recent years has allowed both developed and emerging economies to deploy it at scale. In 2025, Bulgaria, Pakistan and Hungary will be able to source around 20% of their electricity through solar farms. This will reduce both emissions and costs. Solar's share of generation in 2026 will probably set new records for even more countries. This will help keep the global energy transition going even if major economies like the U.S. take a step back. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest The new global financial commentary source (ROI) is your go-to for all the latest news and analysis. ROI provides data-driven, thought-provoking analysis on everything from soybeans to swap rates. The markets are changing faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn.
Feeding Gaza: Traders run onslaught of bullets, bombs and kickbacks
Mohammed describes a shipment job from hell.
I get screwed on every delivery, the Gazan trader informed . He stated he has to hand over more than $14,000 for each truck of food he brings into the besieged enclave to pay sky-high transport expenses, kickbacks to intermediaries and security from looters. That's up from $1,500-$ 4,000 before the war began in October.
It's hardly worth my while. But I require food, my neighbours require food, the whole of Gaza requires food.
Mohammed said he doesn't like it, but he's required to hike prices of some fresh food like dairy items, fruit and chicken to 10 times their normal worth just to break even, though he understands this puts them out of reach of many hungry Gazans.
He and 17 other individuals interviewed , most of them traders and aid employees in Gaza with direct knowledge of the supply situation, described a chaotic system that frequently makes it too hazardous or costly for entrepreneur to import food, even as aid agencies alert of the growing risk of famine.
A lot of the people requested their complete names be withheld to speak freely about delicate matters, with traders like Mohammed saying they feared reprisals by regional gangs or being blacklisted by the Israeli armed force for speaking up.
The bulk of the cash spent on importing food goes on swelling trucking costs, according to the people talked to.
Chauffeurs in Israel have increased their rates by as much as threefold due to the fact that of attacks by Israeli protesters on trucks heading towards Gaza, they said. Cargoes likewise frequently have to wait for days, either near their departure points in the occupied West Bank or the Kerem Shalom border crossing from Israel into southern Gaza to be examined by Israeli soldiers and authorized to go into the enclave, they included, even more increasing expenses.
Once the items finally make it into Gaza, the sources told , the hairiest part of the journey begins.
Another trader, Hamuda, who imports pickled vegetables, poultry and dairy products from the West Bank, stated he either pays off regional criminal gangs or employs his own armed males to stand on top of the cargoes and fend off looters.
It's anywhere from $200 to $800 for this. It's worth it for a cargo that can be worth as much as $25,000, he stated. The guys I. hire are pals or relatives, I require about 3-5 per truck.
Meanwhile, none of the private-sector goods have made it to. northern Gaza, where aid firms state appetite is most intense,. because the Israeli armed force has closed that location off to their. commercial deliveries, all eight traders said.
2 help workers validated the only food readily available in. northern Gaza is help, with no industrial items for sale. The. Israeli military didn't talk about the accessibility of food for. sale in the north, a location dominated by Gaza City and its. environs.
The military, which manages coordination of aid in Gaza,. says it lets enough food in from Israel and Egypt for the entire. population. It acknowledged aid agencies face troubles in. transporting food once it has entered through crossing points. consisting of Kerem Shalom, without defining what the obstacles. were.
Dispersing help in Gaza is a intricate job considered that it is. an active war zone, a spokesperson told . Israel is. dedicated to allowing humanitarian help to get in Gaza for the. advantage of the civilian population ... it will facilitate it. while sticking to operational factors to consider on the ground.
The military stated Palestinian militant group Hamas, Gaza's. ruling group, was exploiting humanitarian infrastructure for. its military needs, without elaborating.
Hamas denied exploiting help and stated it doesn't interfere. with food deliveries. It validated that traders were employing. armed guards to protect their deliveries however stated none of those. males were linked to Hamas.
Our utmost goal is to relieve the suffering of our. people, said Hamas federal government spokesperson Ismail al-Thawabta.
' TOTAL BREAKDOWN OF LAW'
Getting food to the Gaza Strip's mostly displaced population. of 2.3 million has been beleaguered by bureaucracy and violence since. war broke out on Oct. 7, when a Hamas attack on towns in. southern Israel activated an Israeli bombardment and invasion. that has desolated the seaside area.
There are two main tracks of food entry: global help,. which is largely U.N. or U.N.-distributed products of. non-perishables, like rice, flour and tinned items and has made. up the bulk of imports throughout the war; and business. shipments, which include fresh fruit and vegetables important to fending off. malnutrition.
The Israeli military enabled commercial food deliveries from. Israel and the occupied West Bank to resume in May after its. assault on Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah - an essential gateway. from Egypt - considerably decreased the flow of U.N. help to the. ravaged Palestinian territory.
, which reported the business resumption, is likewise. the first news outlet to information the occurring expenses and mayhem. faced by Gazan traders that have actually hindered their efforts to import. fresh food for sale in the enclave's markets and stores.
Attacks on food trucks have risen given that Israel introduced its. May 7 Rafah offensive, which has actually deepened the chaos in Gaza by. scattering the 1.5 million individuals who had been sheltering in. tent camps there, according to the traders and help employees.
The U.N. materials that are still getting through to Gaza,. via Kerem Shalom or northern crossings, are even more vulnerable. to criminal gangs because, unlike personal businesses, U.N. agencies can't pay for armed protection, according to 6 aid. employees associated with coordinating food shipments. One approximated. that about 70% of the food trucks were being assaulted.
We are faced with a near total breakdown of law and. order with truck chauffeurs being routinely threatened or. assaulted, Philippe Lazzarini, head of U.N. relief company. UNRWA, told . Far a lot of trucks have actually been looted.
The difficulties faced by aid agencies imply the commercial. track has started to comprise a bigger proportion of food going into. Gaza, though the circulation remains erratic, according to the 8. traders interviewed.
They stated private-sector supplies has made up between 20. and 100 trucks a day - each carrying up to 20 tonnes of food -. because the Rafah assault was released. During this period,. Israeli military information reveals approximately 150 aid and commercial. food trucks a day have gone into in overall.
That is well short of the 600 trucks a day that the U.S. Company for International Development says is needed to attend to. the threat of famine.
The business food being available in is likewise costly, and little. replacement for global help that has actually already been spent for. by donor countries and organizations, according to the 6 aid. workers.
Some items have actually increased at least 15-fold in expense, said. Majed Qishawi, of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Gaza. Fundamental. items ... have actually disappeared from the market since of an extreme. drop in aid and commercial trucks arriving.
ISRAELI PROTESTERS ATTACK
Traders explained a long and perilous process to provide. food from their providers in Israel and the West Bank to their. designated destinations in Gaza, a 100-mile journey at the majority of, with. difficulty looming far before items reach the war-torn enclave.
Numerous Gaza-bound freights, transferred by Israeli drivers. or by Palestinian drivers who have consent to work in Israel,. were obstructed or assaulted by Israeli protesters in May in a spree. of violence which triggered Washington to sanction one involved. group with links to Israeli inhabitants. The protesters stated they. were preventing supplies from getting to Hamas.
Israeli drivers in specific have actually hiked their transportation. costs due to the fact that of the attacks - in some cases by 3 times, stated. another trader, Samir. A $1,000 trip can cost $3,000.
Cargoes then often get stuck in lines of trucks before they. can enter Gaza, with long waits costing importers about $200 to. $ 300 per day per truck, he added.
The hold-ups are triggered by a general stockpile in getting food. into Gaza, according to the 18 sources interviewed who also. consist of Palestinian and Western officials.
couldn't individually verify the logjam at the Gaza. border as Israel mostly bars reporters from Gaza and its. crossing points.
The traders and help employees stated that for two weeks at the. start of June, the Israeli military suspended all entry for. industrial items while a stockpile of humanitarian aid was. cleared. One trader shared a text message from an Israeli. military planner for materials into Gaza on June 9 informing. him that industrial circulations were on hold up until additional notice,. though could not confirm its credibility.
The industrial track opened up again around the Muslim Eid. al-Adha vacation start on June 15, individuals said.
BRIBES & & DEFENSE RACKETS
Once food cargoes are permitted to cross into Gaza, the items. are filled onto different trucks with regional drivers to be. dispersed to vendors in the enclave, the traders stated.
They are now in a battle zone.
Stretches of road in Rafah and the southern city of Khan. Younis that were thought about relatively safe before the Rafah. invasion are now infamous for attacks, the traders stated.
Three of the help workers stated truck lootings were an everyday. occurrence while Hamuda, the trader, approximated that about 6. times as many trucks are being raided now compared to. before the Rafah attack.
Some trucks are attacked for freights bring rarer. commodities such as meat or fresh fruit, Hamuda stated. Lots of. others are assaulted by gangs who have actually secretly organized to. smuggle items inside food shipments, specifically tobacco.
One Gazan trader shared a photo of cigarettes smuggled. inside a hollowed-out watermelon, though couldn't validate. its credibility.
Another challenge is continuous Israeli operations, according to. the traders who stated they have no military official to contact. in genuine time while their trucks are inside Gaza.
If a road is closed by combating or bombardment, they have no. method of figuring out a safe option, or relaying this. information to their motorists who are typically outdoors mobile phone. protection, they added.
3 traders said that last month they started paying larger,. better-connected Gazan entrepreneurs who have routine coordination. with the Israeli military to protect the entry of their cargoes. and protection for their trucks to their destinations.
The traders, who decreased to recognize the middlemen, stated. this service alone can cost approximately $14,000 to get the goods to. their location safely.
One of the traders, Abu Mohammed, stated he had to weigh up. just how much he could offer his cargo for. After treking my prices to. make up for the transportation costs, possibly I make a couple of. hundred dollars. Perhaps I break even, he said.
I also run the risk of losing everything, he added. If the delivery. is ransacked, my cash's been lost..
(source: Reuters)