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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 29 July 2022
Seeking new funds, Hamas raises taxes in impoverished Gaza

By FARES AKRAM ing on its military wing, it
Associated Press is no surprise that Hamas
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip is seeking new sources of
(AP) — Gaza’s Hamas rul- revenue. Still, the timing is
ers have imposed a slew questionable, coming at a
of new taxes on imported time when the Russian inva-
clothes and office sup- sion of Ukraine has driven
plies just ahead of the new up consumer prices world-
school year, sparking lim- wide.
ited but rare protests in the Hamas authorities say the
impoverished coastal strip. new taxes are meant to
The move by the militant protect the local industries.
group comes at a time But experts and business
when Gaza’s 2.3 million people challenge this ar-
people are suffering not gument, since badly need-
only from a 15-year Israeli- ed raw materials are now
Egyptian blockade, but being taxed.
also from a new jump in Mohammed Abu Jayyab,
prices caused by global an economist, said the
supply-chain issues and the taxes have failed to pro-
Russian invasion of Ukraine. tect local manufacturers
“This is a wrong, oppressive because the government
decision that destroys the still taxes raw materials and
national economy,” said production lines.q
Nahed al-Sawada, who A spokesman for the Econ-
imports clothes from China A women buys clothes on the main road of an outdoor clothes market in Gaza City, Monday, July omy Ministry did not return
and Turkey. 25, 2022. Associated Press requests for comment.
A list by the Ministry of Econ- Hamas doesn’t release fig-
omy includes planned tax- the school year. Gaza’s economy has been tence and has in the past ures on its funding resourc-
es on items like packaged Emad Abdelhadi, a repre- hit hard by the Israeli-Egyp- staged deadly suicide es or budgets, but the lat-
nuts, with an import tariff of sentative for Gaza’s union tian blockade, imposed bombings against Israelis, a est steps are part of a series
2,000 shekels (nearly $600) of clothes’ merchants, said when Hamas seized pow- terrorist organization. of taxes targeting a wide
per ton. In the past, nuts a new pair of jeans sells for er in 2007. Israel says the Israel and Hamas have array of sectors, from street
were imported tax free. The $3 to $10, and the new tax blockade is needed to pre- fought four wars since the vendors selling hot drinks to
tariff on a ton of toilet pa- will pose an unfair burden vent Hamas from arming, Hamas takeover, further restaurants, home building
per rose from $90 to $580. on struggling consumers. but critics say the restric- straining the territory’s run- and cars.
The taxes are set to go into In a territory suffering from tions, which include tight down infrastructure. Elec- The government offers few
effect on Aug. 1. rampant poverty and un- limits on exports, amount to tricity is in short supply, tap services in exchange, and
The list also includes a employment approaching collective punishment. water undrinkable and the most aid and relief projects
tax of about $3 on pair of 50%, he said many Ga- Hamas’ government is not health care system is in are covered by the inter-
jeans, and $230 on a ton of zans already look for used internationally recognized shambles. national community. The
plastic folders used to store clothes. The new taxes, he and Israel and its Western With tens of thousands of funds help Hamas operate
papers. Demand for these said, “will deprive them of allies consider the group, civil servants to support, a government and power-
items increases ahead of the ability to buy.” which opposes Israel’s exis- as well as its heavy spend- ful armed wing.q
Lightning kills nearly 50 this week in India’s Uttar Pradesh

this week. or other rain-related inci- degree-Celsius rise in tem-
The farmers had taken dents,” Singh said. perature increases light-
shelter under trees during India’s monsoon season ning by 12 times.
a drenching monsoon rain runs from June through Srivastava said that defor-
when they were struck by September. estation, the depletion of
lightning Tuesday and died Col. Sanjay Srivastava, bodies of water, and pol-
instantly. The victims includ- whose organization Light- lution all contribute to cli-
ed four members of a fam- ning India Resilient Cam- mate change, which leads
ily and some cattle grazers paign works with the Indian to more lightning.
near the city of Kaushambi, Meteorological Depart- J P Gupta, director of the
according to police officer ment, said lightning has Meteorological Depart-
Hem Raj Meena. killed nearly 750 people ment, said thunderstorms
The high death toll has across India since April. and lightning have in-
prompted the government That includes 20 people creased this year due to an
to issue new guidelines who died in eastern Bihar increase in pollution levels.
Women work in a paddy field adjacent to the field where for how people can pro- state in the past two days “High ground tempera-
another woman, Khusboo Bind, was killed by lightning on July 25 tect themselves during a and 16 in Madhya Pradesh ture leads to evaporation
at Piparaon village on the outskirts of Prayagraj, in the northern
Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Thursday, July 28, 2022. lightning storm, said state state in central India earlier from water bodies that
Associated Press government spokesperson this month. adds moisture to the at-
Shishir Singh. Sunita Narain, director- mosphere. The presence of
By BISWAJEET BANERJEE in a village in India’s north- “People are dying more general of the Center for aerosols due to air pollution
Associated Press ern Uttar Pradesh state, po- from lightning than rain- Science and Environment, creates favorable condi-
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — lice said Thursday, bringing related incidents, though said global warming plays tions for thunderclouds to
Seven people, mostly farm- the death toll by lightning this is the time when peo- a role in the rising number trigger lightning activity,”
ers, were killed by lightning to 49 people in the state ple (typically) die of floods of lightning strikes. A one- Gupta said.q