DEIR AL-BALAH,:Cash is the lifeblood of the Gaza Strip’s shattered economy, and like all other necessities in this war-torn territory — food, fuel, medicine it is in extremely short supply.With nearly every bank branch and ATM inoperable, people have become reliant on an unrestrained network of powerful cash brokers to get money for daily expenses and commissions on those transactions have soared to about 40%.
“The people are crying blood because of this,” said Ayman al-Dahdouh, a school director living in Gaza City. “It’s suffocating us, starving us.”
At a time of surging inflation, high unemployment and dwindling savings, the scarcity of cash has magnified the financial squeeze on families some of whom have begun to sell their possessions to buy essential goods.The cash that is available has even lost some of its luster. Palestinians use the Israeli currency, the shekel, for most transactions. Yet with Israel no........

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