An Egyptian firm is making $2m a day from Palestinians fleeing Israel's war on Gaza
A company owned by an influential Egyptian businessman and ally of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is making around $2m a day from Palestinians fleeing Israel's war on Gaza, Middle East Eye has revealed.
Hala Consulting and Tourism Services has been charging Palestinians crossing from Gaza's Rafah to Egypt at least $5,000 per adult and $2,500 for children under 16.
It has a monopoly on providing transfer services at the Rafah crossing, the only Gaza exit not bordered with Israel and the single route out of the coastal enclave for Palestinians.
In the past three months alone, the company is estimated to have made a minimum of $118m, or 5.6 billion Egyptian pounds, from desperate Palestinians trying to leave war-torn Gaza.
Despite international media scrutiny on Hala and Organi in recent months, including numerous reports by Middle East Eye, the firm doubled its profits from Palestinians in April, with the average daily fees exceeding $2m.
