November 20, 2014. Two trucks carrying wooden planks destined for sale in the West Bank departed Gaza, marking the first time since the closure was imposed in 2007 that wood from Gaza is being sold in the West Bank.
The goods on the truck belong to Hashem al-Ashi, a Palestinian trader whose products were sold in the West Bank and Israel for years. On Saturday, al-Ashi plans to double the number of individuals he employs to prepare for continued sales in the West Bank.
On Tuesday, November 18, a truckload of clothing left Gaza for the West Bank for the first time since the closure was imposed. On November 16, eight trucks carrying fruits and vegetables left the Strip for the West Bank. On November 13, the first truckload of fish left Gaza and another departed four days later, on November 17. That day, five more trucks carrying produce left Gaza as well.
On November 6, a seven year ban on the sale of agricultural products from Gaza in the West Bank was broken when a truckload of cucumbers departed for the West Bank via the Kerem Shalom crossing. Prior to that, Gaza residents were permitted to sell their goods only abroad, which was not feasible due to high shipping costs and lack of business connections.
Twenty seven trucks carrying fish, clothes, wood planks, fruits and vegetables have departed Gaza for the West Bank since November 6.