Donkey prices in Gaza surge from $1,000 to $30,000 as fuel crisis deepens

**Lead**

The price of a donkey in the Gaza Strip has rocketed from approximately $1,000 to as much as $30,000, a vivid marker of the territory's deepening economic collapse and the near-total paralysis of modern transport. The surge, reported by humanitarian workers and local traders, underscores how the blockade and repeated Israeli airstrikes have destroyed vehicles, disrupted fuel supplies, and forced residents to rely on animal-drawn carts for moving goods, people, and even the wounded.

**Context**

Since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, Gaza's already fragile economy has been shattered. The Israeli military campaign has levelled homes, hospitals, and infrastructure, including roads, fuel depots, and vehicle repair shops. The fuel shortage is acute: diesel and petrol are either unavailable or sold at astronomical black-market prices, making motorised transport unaffordable for most of the 2.3 million population. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), less than 10 percent of the pre-war fuel supply is entering Gaza daily. This has crippled ambulances, delivery trucks, and private cars.

In this vacuum, donkeys and mules have become the primary mode of transport. They pull carts laden with food, water, construction materials, and even families fleeing bombarded areas. The demand for healthy, strong animals has exploded. Reports from local markets indicate that a donkey that cost around $1,000 before the war now commands prices between $20,000 and $30,000, depending on age, strength, and health. Some traders have been able to earn huge profits by smuggling donkeys from Egypt via tunnels or through the Rafah crossing, though the crossing has been largely closed since May 2024.

The price surge has also been driven by the destruction of the animal population itself. Airstrikes and shelling have killed many donkeys and horses, and with limited veterinary care and fodder, the surviving animals are often malnourished or injured. The result is a severe supply shortage even as demand skyrockets.

**Analysis**

The donkey price inflation is not a quirky footnote but a symptom of Gaza's regression to a pre-industrial economy. The strip, which once had a functioning if besieged economy, is now reduced to barter and subsistence. The reliance on donkey carts affects every aspect of life: medical emergencies take hours instead of minutes, food distribution is slowed, and the cost of transporting goods multiplies, further driving up prices for basic necessities. The World Food Programme has warned that famine is imminent in northern Gaza, and the transport bottleneck is a key factor.

For the United Kingdom, which has been a major donor to UNRWA and other aid agencies operating in Gaza, this development poses both a humanitarian and a policy challenge. British officials have repeatedly called for a ceasefire and for unimpeded humanitarian access. The price of donkeys is a stark illustration of how, despite the delivery of some aid, the underlying infrastructure of everyday life has been obliterated. The UK government's commitment to a two-state solution and its support for international law may be tested by the need to address the root causes of such deprivation.

Moreover, the situation raises questions about the effectiveness of aid when the basic mechanisms of transport and trade are destroyed. Humanitarian organisations are forced to spend more on donkey rentals or purchase animals themselves, diverting funds from direct food and medical aid. The UK's Department for International Development (now part of the Foreign Office) has historically supported livestock projects, but in the current environment, even those are imperilled.

**Fontes**

- United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – situation reports on fuel and transport in Gaza. - World Food Programme – food security assessments. - Reuters and The Associated Press – reports on donkey prices and economic collapse in Gaza. - Local Palestinian journalists and traders interviewed by international media.