The iPhone5. Photo: Apple.

A pricey version of the latest iPhone from Apple is on sale in Gaza despite Palestinians’ stated poverty due to an Israeli and Egyptian partial blockade of the territory.

Meanwhile, Israelis looking to get their hands on Apple’s latest technology without traveling to Gaza will have to wait until December, when Israel’s mobile carriers will start selling the iPhone5.

According to the Israel Hayom, the iPhone5 has been on sale for weeks inside the Palestinian coastal enclave controlled by Hamas. But its price is nearly double that found in the United States, ranging from $1,170 for the 16 gigabyte (GB) model to $1,480 for the 64GB model, because the phones must be brought in from Dubai through Gaza’s notorious smuggling tunnels.

“I ordered 30 and I’ve sold 20 so far,” said one dealer. “We can order as many as we want. But most people are waiting for the price to go down. They’re pretty expensive.”