DayofPal—Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have reported being unable to access salaries, aid payments, and personal savings after their bank accounts were frozen or closed without prior notice.
They said they are concerned over the financial hardships facing residents amid the ongoing genocide.
Several account holders discovered their accounts had been restricted while attempting to conduct routine transactions.
Many said they received little or no explanation from the Bank of Palestine and were not provided with a clear mechanism to challenge the decisions.
With cash shortages and damaged currency notes widespread across Gaza, residents have become increasingly dependent on digital banking services and electronic wallets to manage their finances.
Among those affected is Ahmed Sardah, who said he learned that both his bank account and electronic payment wallets had been suspended.
He described the closure as devastating, saying it left him unable to pay rent or meet basic financial obligations at a time when Gaza’s population is already struggling under the impact of war and displacement.
Families of Palestinians killed during the war have also reported difficulties accessing funds.
Taghreed Al-Daya said her late daughter’s account was closed after official notification of her death, and that inheritance procedures required her to travel to Ramallah, an option she described as impossible under current conditions in Gaza.
The issue has drawn criticism from legal professionals and rights advocates. Earlier this year, lawyers in Gaza staged protests against freezing of accounts without legal justification.
The Palestinian Bar Association in Gaza said it had received numerous complaints and warned that such measures risk worsening the humanitarian situation for affected families.
Rami Abdo, head of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, said that account suspensions are carried out periodically based on recommendations and internal risk assessments, affecting hundreds of accounts at a time.
He further added that some accounts belonging to deceased Palestinians were closed, leaving relatives unable to access funds despite completing inheritance procedures.
The Bank of Palestine has rejected that thousands of accounts have been frozen, describing such claims as inaccurate.
In a statement, the bank said all actions concerning customer accounts are conducted in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and directives issued by relevant authorities.
It also stressed that it continues to provide banking services to more than one million customers in Gaza despite the challenges posed by the ongoing war.
Regarding the accounts of deceased customers, the bank stated that such cases are handled through established legal inheritance procedures designed to protect the rights of heirs and prevent unauthorized access to funds.
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