Hamas Abducts Prominent Gazan Merchant, Forces Him to Pay Millions in Ransom

A prominent Gaza trader was detained by Hamas and ordered to pay a multimillion-shekel ransom, according to residents familiar with the incident and reports aired Sunday on Kan’s “Tzeva HaKesef.” The trader, Fadi al-Dayeb, posted on Facebook that the terror organization held him for four days. The post was later deleted.

Al-Dayeb, a major importer in the enclave, continued bringing goods in from Israel throughout the war, including during periods when crossings were shut. He sold food, electronics, fuel, and mobile phones at sharply inflated prices. Gaza residents told Kan News that Hamas exploited his business operations to impose taxes on the public, and that traders like him profited significantly while most families struggled to afford basic items.

One resident who knows the family said Hamas released al-Dayeb only after demanding several million dollars in ransom. Another said the organization funnels confiscated money and tax revenue abroad. “Hamas sends all its money to Turkey,” he claimed. “They see it as a safe base for their leadership and their future.”

Al-Dayeb, a resident of Gaza City’s Shuja’iyya neighborhood, has recently attempted what locals describe as an image-cleaning campaign. He began distributing cash grants to clans and families across Gaza, totaling 200,000 dollars, with each household head meant to receive 10,000 dollars. He has said that additional distributions are planned.

But not all families are willing to take the money. Several have rejected the payments outright, accusing al-Dayeb of exploiting wartime conditions for personal gain. “People refuse because he helped create the crisis,” one resident said. “He was importing goods from Israelis, Hamas used him to impose taxes, and he made millions. He didn’t stand with the people of Gaza. He stood with Hamas.”

Residents told Kan News that the resentment extends beyond a single merchant. They said Gazans will not forget how Hamas and certain traders profited during the war, describing both the organization and its business partners as “thieves who robbed people during their hardest days.”