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Monday, September 13, 2021

Does the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism still exist?




The Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism has been a means for construction materials to be allowed to enter Gaza after the 2014 war, with Israeli approval, to ensure that the materials would not go to terror groups. It is administered by the UN and the Palestinian Authority together with Israel.

Today, Palestinian news site Safa seems to claim that the GRM has been abolished. It quotes Vice President of the Palestinian Federation of Industries, Ali Al-Hayek, that this is a major achievement for Gaza, because Israeli oversight over building materials were too intrusive.

I cannot find any corroboration for this.

The GRM website still exists, and it includes projects as recent as last week. Israel approved construction materials to enter Gaza earlier this month using the GRM

Of course, it seems unlikely that Israel would agree for mass imports of construction material without the GRM, and Egypt is not likely to want to bypass GRM and send materials straight to the Hamas-run Gaza government.

For now, I will assume that this article is wishful thinking for pro-Hamas contractors in Gaza, itching to rebuild miles of tunnels bombed, But this is worth watching.