"A faded 10-shekel note, barely held together by a strip of tape. No one wants it; it is all rubbish now. The 10-shekel note, normally worth about $3, was once the most commonly used bill in daily life. Now, it is no longer in circulation. Not officiallyonly practically. It has been worn out beyond recognition. Sellers will not accept it. Buyers cannot use it. There is no fresh cash. No replenishment."
"If you pay with a 100-shekel note for an 80-shekel purchase, the seller will likely be unable to return the remaining 20 due to the poor physical state of the banknotes. Many notes are torn or taped together, and entire stalls now exist just to repair damaged currency so it can be used again. Anything is better than nothing. Civil servants have gone months without pay."
Cash transfers into Gaza have been blocked, causing severe currency shortages and worn-out banknotes that are no longer accepted in daily transactions. Small denominations, especially the 10-shekel note, have disintegrated and cannot be circulated, leaving sellers unable to provide change. Banks and ATMs are closed and empty while currency-repair stalls proliferate. Public employees and NGO workers have gone months without pay and families cannot send remittances. Outside transfers are rerouted through brokers who charge exorbitant commissions — reports indicate up to 50% on cash withdrawals — leaving money effectively trapped behind political and logistical barriers.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]