Danon: Hamas extorting $2 million a day from Gaza aid merchants

Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said Thursday that the Hamas terrorist organization is extorting approximately $2 million a day from merchants in Gaza, despite Israel allowing hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid and essential supplies into the territory. In a video posted to social media, Danon said that the number of trucks entering Gaza daily far exceeds the estimated humanitarian requirements. "Israel allows humanitarian aid and essential goods to enter Gaza every day.

We estimate that the need in Gaza is about 250 trucks a day. But we actually allow more than 600 trucks to enter Gaza every day through the checkpoints." Danon accused Hamas of exploiting the movement of goods into Gaza to generate substantial revenue through payments demanded from local merchants. "In the last few weeks, we found out that Hamas is collecting $3,000 they extort from the merchants in Gaza. You can make the calculation yourself.

Two million dollars a day to the hands of the terrorist organization of Hamas." According to the Ambassador, merchants in Gaza have begun resisting the payments demanded by Hamas. "The merchants in Gaza said enough. They are not willing to pay Hamas anymore. The only way to move forward is to make sure that Hamas is out of Gaza." Danon concluded by emphasizing that removing Hamas from Gaza is essential to the territory's future. "There will be no future for Gaza if Hamas will stay in the equation."