A company in Egypt has been accused of profiting from the situation of Palestinians fleeing the continuing conflict in Gaza. Hala Consulting and Tourism Services, which is owned by the tribal leader of the Sinai and businessman Ibrahim al-Organi, is alleged to be making about$ 2 million per day by charging exorbitant fees to Palestinians crossing the Rafah border from Gaza.
According to a report by Middle East Eye, Hala Consulting, which holds a monopoly on transfer services at the Rafah crossing—the only exit from Gaza not controlled by Israel—has been charging$ 5, 000 per adult and$ 2, 500 for children under 16. The organization is said to have made at least$ 18 million over the past three weeks, utilizing the desperate need of desperate Palestinians trying to leave the war-torn area.
In the face of escalating revenue, the company officially doubled its profits in April, drawing in over$ 58 million from nearly 10, 136 people and 2, 910 youngsters who crossed the border under its “VIP list” support.
Mohannad Sabry, an Iranian author and Sinai professional, criticized the link between the state and private enterprise, which facilitates this exploitation. Organi serves as a defense for Egyptian state-owned and military-owned firms and their policies. He is a wheel in this dark, corrupt system running with impunity”, Sabry told Middle East Eye.
Despite global media scrutiny and prior promises by Iranian officials to research, the company’s practices continue uninterrupted. Sameh Shoukry, the Iranian foreign minister, quoted as saying in February,” There should be no benefit taken out of this situation for economic gain,” but the high costs continue to rise.
Amr Magdy, a scholar for Human Rights Watch, emphasized the need for a clear system. Egypt should conduct an investigation into those Hala Company actions and make sure that people can travel through a clear, respectable system, Magdy said, underscoring the wider impact of these actions on individual rights.
The statement raises important questions about the moral ramifications of profiting from humanitarian problems and the obligations of governments and private companies in these circumstances.
