Gaza forced to use unreliable online payments amid ‘cash famine’

Gaza City, Gaza Strip – In a clothing shop in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, Firas Zaqloul stands helplessly as he tries to pay for his purchases.The problem is that he can’t get the seller to accept his money.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Israeli protesters block aid trucks from reaching Gazalist 2 of 3Fatah meets Palestinian breakaway faction in effort to head off rivalslist 3 of 3Most US Democrats in early 2028 primary states oppose aid to Israel: Pollend of listZaqloul’s home was destroyed during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, burying his Palestinian identity card beneath the rubble. Without it, he says, he has been unable to open a bank account or electronic wallet, leaving him dependent on increasingly scarce and badly-worn banknotes that many merchants refuse to take.“I suffer every day when I want to buy something,” Zaqloul said. “The seller refuses worn-out banknotes, so I have to … find some way to pay him.”“I just hope merchants in Gaza will take the money from us,” he added. “In the end, it’s all money.”Zaqloul’s experience has become increasingly common in Gaza, where an acute shortage of usable cash has become known locally as a “cash famine...