CAIRO: Palestinians face inflated prices for groceries and batteries, hospitals have turned to smugglers for medicine and equipment, Israeli soldiers and other middlemen are accused of pocketing millions of dollars, and the Hamas-led government takes a cut as the smuggling of goods restricted by Israel into the Gaza Strip has boomed, according to an Associated Press investigation based on court documents and interviews with traders, truckers and officials.

Multiple stakeholders profit as Gazans face high prices, turn to smugglers to provide contraband; key enigmatic smuggler allegedly uses links to Israel Police to avoid being busted

The smuggling of goods restricted by Israel into Gaza has boomed. Items from cigarettes and iPhones to fuel and solar panels make their way to the territory devastated by war.

The smuggling of goods restricted by Israel into Gaza has boomed