For the first time, Egypt allows wheat to be imported to Gaza's mills

Egypt officially informed the Hamas-run local authorities in the coastal enclave that they are ready to import wheat to mills based in the besieged Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials announced on Thursday. 

It is the first time Egyptian wheat will be sent to the Gaza'smills, mainly as their mill owners used to get their wheat from Israel through the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing in the southern Gaza Strip.

Speaking to The New Arab, official sources said, "the supply of wheat for the first time from Egypt comes in light of the significant development in trade relations between Egypt and Hamas."

Abdel Dayem Awad, the owner of Al-Salam Mill, praised the diversification of imports from more than one market source because it would encourage the possibility of competition and offer a variety of prices and quality to consumers.

"This step is important because it diversifies the quantities and sources of wheat for Palestinians in Gaza. At the moment, it is not good because of the high prices," Awad added.

The mill owner did note, however, that a major issue that could arise is from the high rate of exchange of the US currency in Egypt, which in turn can push the prices of products from Egypt to be higher than those imported from Israel.

"Egyptian wheat was earlier cheaper, but now it is more expensive. The cost is higher because of the dollar's rise significantly against the Egyptian pound," he stressed.