Palestinians wait in long lines at reopened Gaza bank but left disappointed by lack of cash

Описание: (22 Oct 2025)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4612181

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Deir Al Balah, Central Gaza Strip – October 21, 2025
1. Various of people waiting in line outside Bank of Palestine
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Raed Saleh, displaced from Jabaliya: ++SOUNDBITE STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND PARTIALLY SPLIT SCREEN WITH SHOT1++
“The bank is not fully open. It is only available for guidance. I got here at dawn -- at 3 am, after a tireless journey
I spent 12 hours waiting at the bank. I spent time inside like I was playing a game. The bank employee has no powers or anything.”
3. Rusty lock closing the Bank of Palestine ATM, people gathering outside the bank
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Kamilia Al-Ajez, displaced from Rafah: ++SOUNDBITE STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND IS OVERLAID BY SHOT5++
“The prices have dropped. But what good does it do? The prices have dropped but there is nothing to buy. Without having the bank open and without money, it does not matter that the prices have dropped.”
5. Various of people gathering outside the bank
6. ATM closed
STORYLINE:
Dozens of people in Deir al-Balah spent hours in line at the Bank of Palestine on Tuesday hoping to access their money but were turned away.

The cash-strapped territory has been wrestling with cash liquidity since the beginning of the two-year war between Hamas and Israel.

“Without having the bank open and without money, it does not matter that the prices (in the market) have dropped,” Kamilia al-Ajez, who was displaced from the southernmost city of Rafah, said.

The bank in the central town of Deir al-Balah, which was closed shortly after the war began, does not have cash to offer to Palestinians.

“It is only available for guidance,” Raed Saleh, who was displaced from the northern Jabaliya refugee camp, said, adding that after a tireless journey and a 12-hour wait, he found out that the bank employee had no powers at all.

“We have had nothing since the beginning of the war; we don’t know what to do with the bank.”

ATMs ran out of cash and went out of order during the conflict with Israel.

Today, most Palestinians in Gaza either have worn-out bank notes that merchants refuse, or go to the commission traders who have charged up to 50% since the war.

“We call on authorities to facilitate the job of banks and expedite cash entry to resolve the cash liquidity problem in the Gaza Strip,” said Wael Basiyoni, who was displaced from the northern town of Beit Hanoun.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected].

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...