Friday's NBC report said that, due to the compactness of the phones, they can be imported into the Strip more efficiently than construction materials or formula.
Rising purchases of Apple's new iPhone 17s by Palestinians are being reported within the Gaza Strip, with many of the buyers still displaced and jobless, according to an NBC News report published on Friday.
The new iPhones have been selling in the Strip for a few months, with a report by the UAE-based newspaper The National, published at the beginning of the month, claiming that some Palestinians were left suspicious and were quoted as asking: "Why phones, and not food ?"
Friday's NBC report said that, due to the compactness of the phones, they can be imported into the Strip more efficiently than construction materials or formula, which the report described as "bulky."
The recent report also cited Gazans saying that budget phones in the Strip are being sold for up to NIS 5,000.
Accusations that Israel using imported phones for intelligence gathering
The National report cited claims made by journalist Hamza Al Shobaki, who said that “Israel has a long history of using phones and communication systems for surveillance and intelligence gathering. To allow entry of devices that weren’t permitted even before the war, this raises questions.”
