Gaza Strip

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This article is about the territory. For the city, see Gaza City. For the government, see Gaza Governorate. For the 2002 film, see Gaza Strip (film).


Gaza Strip
قِطَاعُ غَزَّةَ
Qiṭāʿu Ġazzah
Flag of the Gaza Strip
Location of the Gaza Strip
Status
Capital
and largest city
Gaza City
31°31′N 34°27′E / 31.517°N 34.450°E / 31.517; 34.450
Official languagesArabic
Ethnic groups
Palestinian
Demonym(s)Gazan
Palestinian
Area
• Total
365 km2 (141 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 estimate
2,047,969[2]
• Density
5,046/km2 (13,069.1/sq mi)
Currency
Time zoneUTC+2 (Palestine Standard Time)
• Summer (DST)
UTC+3 (Palestine Summer Time)
Calling code+970
ISO 3166 codePS
  1. The State of Palestine is recognized by 138 members of the United Nations as well as the Holy See.
  2. Used since 1986; as in Israel, replaced the old Israeli shekel (1980–1985) and the Israeli pound (1967–1980).

The Gaza Strip (/ˈɡɑːzə/;[3] Arabic: قِطَاعُ غَزَّةَ Qiṭāʿu Ġazzah [qi.tˤaːʕ ɣaz.zah], Hebrew: רצועת עזה, [r'tsu'at 'áza]), commonly known as Gaza, is a narrow coastal enclave along the eastern Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Israel to the east and north with a 51 km (32 mi) boundary and Egypt to the southwest for 11 kilometers (6.8 mi).[4] Spanning approximately 365 square kilometers (141 sq mi),[5] it houses around 1.85 million Palestinians,[6] ranking it among the world’s most densely populated areas.[7] The Gaza Strip, together with the West Bank, is claimed by the State of Palestine as part of its sovereign territory, though its governance and status are heavily disputed.[5]

Following the Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005, when Israel removed its settlers and military bases from within the territory,[8] Israel asserts it no longer occupies Gaza. It maintains strict security controls—including dominance over air and maritime spaces and most land crossings—to counter threats from Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and the European Union for its armed attacks against Israel, including rocket assaults and suicide bombings.[9][10] However, the United Nations, numerous governments, and legal experts classify Gaza as occupied by Israel due to these extensive controls and its capacity for military intervention.[10] Egypt also restricts its sole border crossing with Gaza, further limiting movement and trade.[5]

Gaza has been governed by Hamas since 2007, after winning the 2006 Palestinian legislative election and ousting the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the Battle of Gaza (2007).[9] In response, Israel, with Egypt’s cooperation, imposed a blockade to weaken Hamas’s military capabilities and prevent terrorism, a policy that has drawn criticism for exacerbating shortages of water, electricity, and medical supplies in Gaza.[11][12] UN reports have highlighted the humanitarian strain on the predominantly Sunni Muslim population, while Israel defends its measures as essential for national security against Hamas’s terrorist activities.[5][9]

Gaza Strip, with borders and Israeli limited fishing zone.
Gaza City skyline, 2007.
Downtown Gaza, 2012.
Beit Hanoun region of Gaza in August 2014, after Israeli bombardments.

History

Further information: History of Gaza

The Gaza Strip was historically part of the Ottoman Empire until its collapse after World War I. It came under British control as part of the Mandate for Palestine from 1918 to 1948,[13] followed by Egyptian administration from 1948 to 1967 after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Israel captured the territory from Egypt during the Six-Day War in 1967.[5] Under the Oslo Accords signed in 1993, Israel granted the Palestinian Authority (PA) limited self-governance over parts of Gaza, while retaining control of airspace, territorial waters, and most border crossings.[14] Since 2007, Gaza has been governed de facto by Hamas, a terrorist organization designated as such by Israel, the United States, and the European Union for its history of attacks, including rocket barrages and suicide bombings against Israeli targets.[9] Hamas claims to represent the Palestinian people, though its authority is unrecognized by many as legitimate.[5]

Despite Israel’s 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza, during which it dismantled all settlements and withdrew its military presence from inside the territory,[15] the United Nations, numerous governments, and human rights organizations classify Gaza as occupied by Israel. This assessment cites Israel’s ongoing control over Gaza’s air and maritime spaces, six of its seven land crossings, and its ability to conduct military operations within the territory.[10] Gaza relies on Israel for critical resources like water, electricity, and telecommunications.[10] Israel disputes this, arguing that its controls are security measures against Hamas’s terrorism, not occupation.[16]

Gaza’s current borders were established after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, formalized by the Israel–Egypt Armistice Agreement on February 24, 1949, which clarified that the demarcation line was not an international boundary.[17] Initially, the All-Palestine Government, set up by the Arab League in 1948, administered Gaza under Egyptian military oversight as a puppet entity until it dissolved into the United Arab Republic in 1959.[18] Egypt then directly governed Gaza until 1967. After Israel’s 2005 withdrawal, Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative election and, in 2007, violently expelled the rival Fatah faction during the Battle of Gaza (2007), fracturing the PA’s unity government and establishing sole control over Gaza.[11]

In 2014, Hamas and Fatah briefly formed a unity government led by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, but it dissolved in June 2015 amid operational failures in Gaza.[19] Since 2007, Israel and Egypt have enforced a blockade on Gaza to counter Hamas’s terrorist activities, including rocket attacks and arms smuggling, severely restricting goods like construction materials and medical supplies.[9][20] A 2021 UN report noted that Gaza’s economy had shrunk by over 50% since 2007 due to the blockade and recurring conflicts, exacerbating shortages.[21] Critics, including some UN officials, call Gaza an "open-air prison," a label Israel rejects as it attributes restrictions to security needs against Hamas.[22]

Pre–1923

British artillery battery positioned near Gaza, 1917

The area encompassing the modern Gaza Strip was home to early settlements like Tell El Sakan and Tall al-Ajjul, which acted as outposts for Ancient Egyptian administration during the Bronze Age.[23] The Philistines, known from biblical accounts, settled this region, and in 332 BCE, Alexander the Great seized the city of Gaza as part of his campaign against Egypt.[24] After Alexander’s death, the territory aligned with Egypt under the Ptolemaic dynasty, shifting to the Seleucid dynasty’s control around 200 BCE.[25] The Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus demolished Gaza in 96 BCE, and it was later reconstructed under Roman authority in the 1st century CE.[24] Roman governance reassigned the region across provinces, including Judea, Syria Palaestina, and Palaestina Prima.[26] In the 7th century, the area oscillated between the Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian Empire until its integration into the Rashidun Caliphate during the Islamic expansions.[27]

By the time of the Crusades, Gaza lay mostly in ruins and sparsely populated, falling under the Knights Templar’s administration within the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century.[28] It exchanged hands repeatedly between Christian and Muslim powers until the Crusader kingdom’s permanent defeat, after which it joined the Ayyubid dynasty’s territories for about a century.[24] In 1260, the Mongol leader Hulagu Khan devastated the city, enabling the Mamluk Sultanate to take over the eastern Levant and Egypt, ruling Gaza until the early 16th century.[29] The Ottoman Empire annexed the region in 1516 following its victory over the Mamluks, maintaining dominance until the empire’s collapse after World War I.[30] Subsequently, Gaza was incorporated into the British Mandate of Palestine under the League of Nations in 1920.[31]

British Mandate (1923–1948)

Gaza War Cemetery

The British Mandate over Palestine, encompassing the Gaza region, was established under the League of Nations following principles set out in Article 22 of its draft Covenant and the San Remo Resolution of April 25, 1920, by major Allied powers after World War I.[32] This mandate formalized British administration over southern Ottoman Syria, including Gaza, from 1923 until 1948, amid the collapse of Ottoman rule.[33] During this period, Jews, historically persecuted across empires, faced rising tensions with Arab populations as Zionist immigration increased under British policies favoring a Jewish homeland.[34]

All-Palestine government (1948)

In September 1948, as the 1948 Arab–Israeli War neared its end, the Arab League declared the All-Palestine Government in Egyptian-held Gaza City, partly to counter Transjordan’s ambitions in Palestine.[35] Recognized by Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen—but not Transjordan or any non-Arab state—it wielded little real authority.[36] The Israel–Egypt Armistice Agreement of February 24, 1949, set Gaza’s current northern and eastern boundaries with Israel, though both sides agreed these were not international borders.[37] The southern boundary with Egypt followed the 1906 Ottoman-British line.[38] Palestinians in Gaza received All-Palestine passports but were denied Egyptian citizenship, relying on UNRWA aid from 1949 onward.[39] During the 1956 Suez Crisis, Israel briefly occupied Gaza and Sinai, withdrawing under global pressure, exposing the All-Palestine entity as a nominal front for Egyptian control until its dissolution in 1959 by Gamal Abdul Nasser.[40]

Egyptian occupation (1959–1967)

Main article: Occupation of the Gaza Strip by Egypt
Che Guevara visiting Gaza in 1959

After Nasser dissolved the All-Palestine Government in 1959, Egypt maintained military control over Gaza until 1967, citing pan-Arab unity but never annexing it.[41] Over 200,000 Palestinian refugees, displaced from the 1948 war, flooded Gaza, straining resources and lowering living standards.[42] Egypt’s tight border restrictions limited employment options, exacerbating economic hardship.[43] During this period, no significant autonomy emerged, leaving Gaza under Cairo’s direct oversight.[44]

Israeli occupation (1967)

Israel captured the Gaza Strip from Egypt during the Six-Day War of June 5–10, 1967, a conflict sparked by escalating tensions after Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran and demanded the withdrawal of UN forces from Sinai and Gaza.[45] For Jews, a people enduring centuries of persecution culminating in the Holocaust, this victory bolstered security against Arab threats, though it drew the United States into a redefined role in the conflict.[46] The war followed failed U.S. efforts under Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson to avert renewed fighting after the 1956 Suez Crisis, with Johnson seeking Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories—Gaza, Sinai, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights—in exchange for peace, a "land-for-peace" framework that persists today.[45] Prewar, Johnson had shifted U.S. policy by selling Israel tanks and aircraft to counter Soviet-armed Egypt, aiming to deter aggression, though Palestinian raids from Jordan and Syria ultimately destabilized the region.[45]

Post-war, Israel governed Gaza militarily, establishing 21 settlements, including Gush Katif near Rafah, on 20% of the territory by 2005 to secure its borders.[47] The U.S., wary of Soviet intervention or alienating Arab allies, pushed for a ceasefire but not an immediate Israeli pullout, favoring peace agreements first.[45] UN Resolution 242, adopted November 22, 1967, enshrined this approach, calling for Israeli withdrawal from occupied lands in return for Arab recognition of Israel’s right to exist—terms Arabs rejected, stalling diplomacy.[48] Economically, Gaza saw 9.7% annual growth until 1982, fueled by jobs in Israel, but land appropriation and export restrictions hampered agriculture, prompting claims of deliberate economic suppression.[49]

Egypt–Israel peace treaty (1979)

The Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed on March 26, 1979, in Washington, D.C., ending decades of conflict and affirming their commitment to peace based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.[50] For Israel, representing a Jewish people long persecuted and seeking security, the treaty secured its southern border after the 1967 capture of Sinai.[51] Israel agreed to withdraw all military forces and civilians from the Sinai Peninsula within three years, a process completed by 1982, while Egypt pledged to demilitarize the region and establish normalized relations, including trade and diplomatic ties.[50] The treaty defined the permanent Egypt-Israel border as the pre-1948 mandate line, explicitly leaving Gaza’s status unresolved, with Egypt renouncing territorial claims north of this boundary.[50]

Gaza remained under Israeli military control until 1994, overseen by a Joint Commission and UN forces to ensure compliance.[52] The Philadelphi Route, a 7 miles (11 km) buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border, was established to enhance security, a precursor to measures later justified against threats from groups like Hamas.[53]

Oslo Accords (1994), Palestinian Authority

In 1994, the Oslo Accords transferred most of Gaza—excluding settlements and military zones—to the Palestinian Authority (PA) under Yasser Arafat, who made Gaza City his base.[54] A 1995 agreement expanded PA control to West Bank towns.[55] Israel built the Israeli Gaza Strip barrier from 1994 to 1996 for security against attacks, later damaged by Palestinians during the 2000 Al-Aqsa Intifada.[56]

View of Gaza during the 2000s.

2000–2005: Second Intifada and Border Security

In September 2000, the Second Intifada occurred, unleashing extreme violence by Palestinians against Israel, including suicide bombings and protests targeting both military and civilian Jews.[57] Triggered amid final-status peace talks, the uprising saw Palestinian Authority media inciting attacks, with terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launching rocket assaults and bombings from Gaza against Israeli border towns.[58] From 2000 to 2005, over 1,000 Israelis died in these attacks, with thousands injured, while over 2,000 Palestinians were killed, many due to their direct involvement in violence or terrorists’ use of civilian shields.[58] The 2005 Sharm el-Sheikh Summit saw Israel’s Ariel Sharon and the PA’s Mahmoud Abbas pledge to halt violence and pursue the Roadmap for Peace, though tensions persisted.[58]

In response, Israel rebuilt the Gaza-Israel barrier between December 2000 and June 2001, and Egypt began constructing a barrier along the Gaza-Egypt border in 2004 to curb terrorist infiltration.[59] Key crossings include the Erez Crossing (north, into Israel), the Rafah Crossing (south, into Egypt), and the Karni Crossing (east, for cargo, closed in 2011).[60] Israel controls Gaza’s northern borders, airspace, and territorial waters, while Egypt secures the southern frontier under a mutual agreement, both enforcing stringent restrictions to isolate Hamas—an avowed terrorist group—and prevent cross-border attacks.[61][62]

2005 Israel's unilateral disengagement

Main article: Israeli disengagement from Gaza
Barrier fence near Karni Crossing

In early 2005, Israel’s Knesset greenlit a plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, uprooting around 9,000 Jewish settlers—primarily from Gush Katif—and dismantling all 21 settlements by September 1.[63] For a Jewish population historically persecuted and seeking stability, this move aimed to lessen tensions with Palestinians while safeguarding against threats from the terrorist group Hamas.[64][65] On September 12, the Israeli cabinet announced the cessation of its military presence inside Gaza, though it kept authority over the airspace and coastal waters, as outlined in the Oslo Accords and withdrawal framework.[66] The UN and EU assert Israel retains occupation status due to these controls and border limitations.[67]

Israel relinquished the Philadelphi Route along the Egyptian border, delegating security to Egypt and the Palestinian Authority (PA) via the November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, facilitated by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.[68] The Rafah Crossing into Egypt resumed operations under PA and EU oversight, permitting restricted passage for Palestinian ID holders, with Israel overseeing goods at the Kerem Shalom Crossing to block Hamas arms trafficking.[69][70]

Post-2006 elections violence

Main article: Fatah–Hamas conflict

Hamas assumed power in February 2006 after securing 42.9% of votes and 74 of 132 seats in the Palestinian legislative election held January 25, 2006.[71] When Hamas rejected demands from Israel, the U.S., EU, Russia, and the UN to honor prior agreements, recognize Israel, and abandon violence, these entities halted direct aid to the PA, redirecting some funds to non-governmental humanitarian groups.[72] Economic decline and political chaos drove Palestinian emigration from Gaza.[73]

Violence between Hamas and Fatah flared in January 2007, with deadly clashes in northern Gaza killing Fatah’s General Muhammed Gharib.[74] A brief truce on January 30 collapsed days later when Hamas ambushed a Fatah convoy on February 1, killing six, claiming it aimed to thwart sedition.[75] Fighting escalated in May, prompting Interior Minister Hani Qawasmi to resign over factional strife.[76] From 2006 to 2007, over 600 Palestinians died in this infighting, with 349 killed in 2007 alone, including 160 in June.[77] Israel’s air strikes targeted Hamas facilities amid the chaos, reflecting its ongoing security stance against the group’s terrorism.[78]

2006–2007: Hamas Takes Control of Gaza

Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade of the Gaza Strip after the terrorist group Hamas seized full control by June 14, 2007, following its victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election.[79][80] The blockade tightened border crossings, with EU monitors abandoning the Rafah Border Crossing amid security fears, reflecting regional rejection of Hamas’s rule.[81] Egypt, alongside Saudi Arabia and Jordan, recognized only the West Bank-based government loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as legitimate in late June 2008, with Egypt relocating its embassy from Gaza.[82]

Hamas’s rise began with the January 2006 elections, where it won 74 of 132 seats, prompting a short-lived Palestinian authority national unity government under Ismail Haniya.[83] Tensions with Fatah escalated into the Battle of Gaza, during which Hamas ousted Fatah officials, seized institutions, and solidified its grip.[84] Abbas declared a state of emergency, dissolved the unity cabinet, and formed a Fatah-led government in the West Bank, ordering arrests of Hamas members there.[85] Despite Hamas’s outreach to Russia and some EU states for support, Egypt and Arab ministers backed Abbas, opposing Hamas’s border control amid reports of explosives smuggled via 60 tunnels from Egypt in 2007, fueling Israel’s security concerns.[86][87]

2008–2013: Border Breaches and Escalation

August 3, 2008. A Palestinian receiving medical care from IDF soldiers. On August 2, 2008, approximately 180 Palestinian Fatah activists crossed into Israeli territory, some of them injured. For humanitarian reasons, the IDF allowed Palestinians who disarmed to enter the country. Those injured were given medical treatment inside Israel.

In late 2008, tensions flared as a five-month ceasefire crumbled, prompting Israel to seal its cargo crossing with Gaza on November 25 after Qassam rockets targeted its territory.[88] Earlier that year, on January 23, Hamas breached the Gaza-Egypt border wall in Rafah—weakened over months—allowing hundreds of thousands of Gazans to flood into Egypt for food and supplies amid a tightening blockade.[89] Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak permitted entry but ordered troops to screen returnees for weapons, later detaining and releasing armed Hamas militants in Sinai suspected of aiming for Israel.[90] Israel heightened its alert along the Sinai border, urging citizens to depart immediately.[91] The 2008 Israel-Gaza conflict intensified in February, with Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli cities triggering a military response on March 1, killing over 110 Palestinians—including 45 civilians and 15 minors per B’Tselem—and two Israeli soldiers.[92] Amid this, the Rafah Crossing stayed shut into mid-February, with the Palestinian Authority insisting Egypt negotiate only with it, not Hamas, while EU monitors had fled earlier due to security risks.[93] On November 28, after a brief calm, Israel permitted over 30 truckloads of food, medicine, and fuel into Gaza, though it had earlier cut electricity by 5% on one line.[94] Years later, in 2013, Israel and Qatar funded fuel to restart Gaza’s sole power plant after seven weeks offline, easing 21-hour blackouts and sewage overflows following a severe storm, with Qatar’s $10 million grant covering two weeks of diesel.[95]

2008–2009: Hamas Rocket Attacks and Israel’s Defensive Operation Cast Lead

Main article: Gaza War (2008–2009)
Buildings damaged during Operation "Cast Lead".
Monthly rocket and mortar hits in Israel, 2008.
Israelis killed by Palestinians in Israel (blue) and Palestinians killed by Israelis in Gaza (red)
Gaza-Israel border fence

Hamas unleashed over 3,000 rockets into southern Israel throughout 2008, terrorizing civilian communities with indiscriminate barrages that shattered a fragile five-month truce by December.[96] In response, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead on December 27, striking Hamas targets across Gaza with F-16 air raids planned over six months under Defense Minister Ehud Barak to neutralize the threat.[97] The campaign escalated January 3, 2009, with a ground invasion, targeting sites Hamas used for attacks—police stations, mosques, and government buildings—killing 1,100–1,400 Palestinians (295–926 civilians) and 13 Israelis over 22 days.[98][99]

The war ravaged Gaza, leaving 50,000 homeless, wrecking most of its 10,000 farms, and cutting water and power to hundreds of thousands as homes, hospitals, and clinics crumbled.[100][101] Israel ended the operation unilaterally on January 18, despite Hamas’s pledge to continue fighting, rejecting ceasefire calls.[102] In the aftermath, Hamas executed 19 Fatah members, many recaptured from a bombed prison, accusing them of aiding Israel after a strike killed three Hamas leaders, including Said Seyam.[103][104] By February, food supplies stabilized, though agricultural devastation promised future shortages.[105]

2014: Fatah-Hamas Unity Pact

On June 2, 2014, a fragile alliance took shape as Fatah, the dominant faction of the Palestinian Authority (PA), forged a unity government with Hamas, sworn in under PA President Mahmoud Abbas.[106] This pact aimed to mend years of rivalry following Hamas’s 2007 takeover of Gaza, with both sides agreeing to a technocratic cabinet to oversee Gaza and the West Bank.[107] Hamas, facing economic strain from Israel’s blockade and Egypt’s crackdown on smuggling tunnels, saw the deal as a lifeline, while Fatah sought to regain a foothold in Gaza.[108] Israel condemned the move, citing Hamas’s rocket attacks, and halted peace talks, straining the pact’s viability from the outset.[109]

2014: Operation Protective Edge Conflict

See also: 2014 Gaza War

Israel’s Operation Protective Edge erupted on July 8, 2014, triggered by Hamas’s barrage of over 4,500 rockets into Israeli territory that summer, intensifying after the June kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens in the West Bank—an act Israel attributed to Hamas operatives.[110][111] The 50-day war saw Israel’s air and ground assaults devastate Gaza, targeting Hamas launch sites, tunnels, and command centers, while Hamas’s rockets terrorized Israeli civilians, often fired from densely populated areas.[112] By August 26, when a ceasefire took hold, the toll was stark: 2,251 Palestinians killed (1,600 civilians, including 550 children) and 71 Israelis (6 civilians), with Hamas’s tactics amplifying civilian losses by embedding operations among residents.[113][114]

Operation Protective Edge[115]
Gaza Israel Ratio
Civilians killed 1,600 6 270:1
Children killed 550 1 550:1
Homes severely damaged or destroyed 18,000 1 18,000:1
Houses of worship damaged or destroyed 203 2 100:1
Kindergartens damaged or destroyed 285 1 285:1
Medical facilities damaged or destroyed 73 0 73:0
Rubble left 2.5 mln tons unknown unknown
Destroyed homes in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead.

Gaza’s landscape bore scars of unparalleled destruction: 18,000 homes leveled, 2.5 million tons of rubble, and crippled infrastructure left 600,000 residents without water and power for months.[116] Israel’s military precision aimed to dismantle Hamas’s arsenal, but the scale of civilian casualties—amplified by Hamas’s use of urban shields—drew global scrutiny, though Israel maintained its actions countered relentless aggression.[117]

2014: Gaza’s link to Sinai's terrorists

See also: Sinai insurgency

Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, flanking Gaza and Israel, has morphed into a lawless frontier fueling terrorism, its rugged expanse harboring over a dozen armed groups amid tribal Bedouin lands.[118] The turmoil spiked in 2014 as al-Qaeda-inspired jihadists, bolstered by Egypt’s unrest, clashed with security forces, killing 24 policemen in a single August attack.[119] Gaza’s proximity fueled this chaos, with the Army of Islam—a U.S.-designated terrorist outfit tied to Hamas leader Mohammed Dormosh—training Sinai terrorists and smuggling them back through tunnels for attacks.[120][121] Egyptian officials reported dismantling 20 such tunnels in 2014 alone, underscoring Gaza’s role as a conduit for terrorism.[122]

2018 Israel–Gaza conflict

See also: 2018–2019 Gaza border protests

2021 Israel–Gaza crisis

Main article: 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis

Before the crisis, Gaza had 48% unemployment and half of the population lived in poverty. During the crisis, 66 children died (551 children in the previous conflict). On June 13, 2021, a high level World Bank delegation visited Gaza to witness the damage. Mobilization with UN and EU partners is ongoing to finalize a needs assessment in support of Gaza's reconstruction and recovery.[123]

2022 Israel–Gaza escalation

Main article: Operation Breaking Dawn

Another escalation between 5 and 8 August 2022 resulted in property damage and displacement of people as a result of airstrikes.[124][125]

Terrain, Geology, and Climate of the Gaza Strip

Stretching along the eastern Mediterranean coast, the Gaza Strip carves out a narrow enclave in the Middle East at 31°25′N 34°20′E / 31.417°N 34.333°E / 31.417; 34.333Coordinates: 31°25′N 34°20′E / 31.417°N 34.333°E / 31.417; 34.333, hemmed in by a 51 kilometers (32 mi) border with Israel to the east and north and an 11 km (7 mi) frontier with Egypt near Rafah to the southwest.[126] This 40 kilometers (25 mi)-long coastal strip cradles key towns: Gaza City anchors the north-central hub, with Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun fanning out to its north and northeast, while Deir el-Balah strings coastal settlements southward, followed by Khan Yunis, 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) northeast of Rafah.[127] Once home to the Gush Katif Israeli settlement bloc along its southwestern dunes until 2005, the region now draws surfers to Al Deira beach, where waves offer a rare escape amid the blockade’s grip.[128]

Beneath its surface, the Gaza Strip’s geology unfolds across three parallel ridges of Pleistocene-Holocene calcareous aeolian sandstone—locally dubbed "kurkar"—etched by wind over millennia, interspersed with red paleosol layers known as "hamra."[129] These ridges ripple alongside the coast, separated by wadis brimming with alluvial silt, shaping a landscape that rolls gently from flat plains to coastal dunes.[130] The terrain peaks at Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda), a modest 105 meters (344 ft) above sea level, overlooking a fragile ecosystem where Wadi Gaza—the Strip’s sole river—feeds the Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve, a vital coastal wetland safeguarding rare biodiversity amid urban sprawl.[131] The Gaza Strip basks in a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh), marked by scorching, dry summers and mild winters that usher in nearly all its annual rainfall—ranging from 225 millimetres (9 in) in the south near Rafah to 400 millimetres (16 in) in the north near Beit Hanoun.[132] Unlike Egypt’s arid expanse, Gaza’s precipitation, concentrated between November and February, supports sparse agriculture, though humidity clings year-round, averaging 70–80% due to the Mediterranean’s proximity.[133] Yet, environmental strain looms large: desertification creeps in, freshwater turns saline from over-extraction, sewage systems falter, and soil degradation—coupled with polluted aquifers—threatens a region where 97% of groundwater is unfit to drink, a crisis worsened by conflict and blockade.[134][135]

Natural Resources and Energy Potential

Main article: Natural gas in the Gaza Strip

Beneath the Gaza Strip’s coastal waters lies a promising yet untapped treasure: marine natural gas reserves stretching 32 kilometers (20 mi) from its Mediterranean shoreline, estimated at 35 billion cubic meters (BCM).[136] Discovered in the late 1990s by British Gas off Gaza’s coast, this field—known as Gaza Marine—holds potential to ease the region’s energy woes, though development stalls amid political tensions and Israel’s control of offshore waters.[137] On land, arable land sustains Gaza, with roughly a third of its 365 square kilometers (141 sq mi) area irrigated for crops like olives, citrus, and strawberries, though yields falter under water scarcity and conflict.[138]

Water, a lifeline for both Gaza and Israel, flows from Wadi Gaza, the Strip’s only river, but its supply dwindles as over-extraction and pollution taint the coastal aquifer—Gaza’s primary freshwater source—leaving 97% undrinkable by WHO standards.[139][140] Desalination plants, hampered by power shortages and blockade restrictions, offer a partial fix, processing just 4 million[convert: unknown unit] annually against a demand triple that size.[141] These resources—land, gas, and water—tease self-sufficiency, yet remain shackled by Gaza’s geopolitical binds.

Economy

See also: Economy of Gaza City, Economy of the State of Palestine, and Blockade of the Gaza Strip
Sea-view from the Al Deira Hotel on the Gaza coast
A resort in the Gaza Strip built on the location of the former Israeli settlement of Netzarim

The economy of the Gaza Strip is severely hampered by Egypt and Israel's almost total blockade, the high population density, limited land access, strict internal and external security controls, the effects of Israeli military operations, and restrictions on labor and trade access across the border. Per capita income (PPP) was estimated at US$3,100 in 2009, a position of 164th in the world.[142] Seventy percent of the population is below the poverty line according to a 2009 estimate.[142] Gaza Strip industries are generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs.

The main agricultural products are olives, citrus, vegetables, Halal beef, and dairy products. Primary exports are citrus and cut flowers, while primary imports are food, consumer goods, and construction materials. The main trade partners of the Gaza Strip are Israel and Egypt.[142]

The EU described the Gaza economy as follows: "Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 and following the closure imposed by Israel, the situation in the Strip has been one of chronic need, de-development and donor dependency, despite a temporary relaxation on restrictions in movement of people and goods following a flotilla raid in 2010. The closure has effectively cut off access for exports to traditional markets in Israel, transfers to the West Bank and has severely restricted imports. Exports are now down to 2% of 2007 levels."[citation needed]

According to Sara Roy, one senior IDF officer told an UNWRA official in 2015 that Israel's policy towards the Gaza Strip consisted of: "No development, no prosperity, no humanitarian crisis."[143]

After Oslo (1994–2007)

Economic output in the Gaza Strip declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996. This downturn was attributed to Israeli closure policies and, to a lesser extent, corruption and mismanagement by Yasser Arafat. Economic development has been hindered by Israel refusing to allow the operation of a sea harbour. A seaport was planned to be built in Gaza with help from France and The Netherlands, but the project was bombed by Israel in 2001. Israel said that the reason for bombing was that Israeli settlements were being shot at from the construction site at the harbour. As a result, international transports (both trade and aid) had to go through Israel, which was hindered by the imposition of generalized border closures. These also disrupted previously established labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the Strip. A serious negative social effect of this downturn was the emergence of high unemployment.

For its energy, Gaza is largely dependent on Israel either for import of electricity or fuel for its sole power plant. The Oslo Accords set limits for the Palestinian production and importation of energy. Pursuant to the Accords, the Israel Electric Corporation exclusively supplies the electricity (63% of the total consumption in 2013).[144] The amount of electricity has consistently been limited to 120 megawatts, which is the amount Israel undertook to sell to Gaza pursuant to the Oslo Accords.[145]

Backyard industry

Israel's use of comprehensive closures decreased over the next few years. In 1998, Israel implemented new policies to ease security procedures and allow somewhat freer movement of Gazan goods and labor into Israel. These changes led to three years of economic recovery in the Gaza Strip, disrupted by the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada in the last quarter of 2000. Before the second Palestinian uprising in September 2000, around 25,000 workers from the Gaza Strip (about 2% of the population) worked in Israel on a daily basis.[146]

The Second Intifada led to a steep decline in the economy of Gaza, which was heavily reliant upon external markets. Israel—which had begun its occupation by helping Gazans to plant approximately 618,000 trees in 1968, and to improve seed selection—over the first 3-year period of the second intifada, destroyed 10 percent of Gazan agricultural land, and uprooted 226,000 trees.[147] The population became largely dependent on humanitarian assistance, primarily from UN agencies.[148]

The al-Aqsa Intifada triggered tight IDF closures of the border with Israel, as well as frequent curbs on traffic in Palestinian self-rule areas, severely disrupting trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more so in early 2002, internal turmoil and Israeli military measures led to widespread business closures and a sharp drop in GDP. Civilian infrastructure, such as the Palestine airport, was destroyed by Israel.[149] Another major factor was a drop in income due to reduction in the number of Gazans permitted entry to work in Israel. After the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the flow of a limited number of workers into Israel resumed, although Israel said it would reduce or end such permits due to the victory of Hamas in the 2006 parliamentary elections.

The Israeli settlers of Gush Katif built greenhouses and experimented with new forms of agriculture. These greenhouses provided employment for hundreds of Gazans. When Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2005, more than 3,000 (about half) of the greenhouses were purchased with $14 million raised by former World Bank president James Wolfensohn, and given to Palestinians to jump-start their economy. The rest were demolished by the departing settlers before they were offered a compensation as an inducement to leave them behind.[150] The farming effort faltered due to limited water supply, Palestinian looting, restrictions on exports, and corruption in the Palestinian Authority. Many Palestinian companies repaired the greenhouses damaged and looted by the Palestinians after the Israeli withdrawal.[151]

In 2005, after the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Gaza businessmen envisaged a "magnificent future". $1.1 million was invested in an upscale restaurant, Roots, and plans were made to turn one of the Israeli settlements into a family resort.[152]

Following Hamas takeover (2007–present)

The European Union states: "Gaza has experienced continuous economic decline since the imposition of a closure policy by Israel in 2007. This has had serious social and humanitarian consequences for many of its 1.7 million inhabitants. The situation has deteriorated further in recent months as a result of the geo-political changes which took place in the region during the course of 2013, particularly in Egypt and its closure of the majority of smuggling tunnels between Egypt and Gaza as well as increased restrictions at Rafah."[citation needed] Israel, the United States, Canada, and the European Union have frozen all funds to the Palestinian government after the formation of a Hamas-controlled government after its democratic victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election. They view the group as a terrorist organization, and have pressured Hamas to recognize Israel, renounce violence, and make good on past agreements. Prior to disengagement, 120,000 Palestinians from Gaza had been employed in Israel or in joint projects. After the Israeli withdrawal, the gross domestic product of the Gaza Strip declined. Jewish enterprises shut down, work relationships were severed, and job opportunities in Israel dried up. After the 2006 elections, fighting broke out between Fatah and Hamas, which Hamas won in the Gaza Strip on 14 June 2007. Israel imposed a blockade, and the only goods permitted into the Strip through the land crossings were goods of a humanitarian nature, and these were permitted in limited quantities.

An easing of Israel's closure policy in 2010 resulted in an improvement in some economic indicators, although exports were still restricted.[148] According to the Israeli Defense Forces and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the economy of the Gaza Strip improved in 2011, with a drop in unemployment and an increase in GDP. New malls opened and local industry began to develop. This economic upswing has led to the construction of hotels and a rise in the import of cars.[153] Wide-scale development has been made possible by the unhindered movement of goods into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing and tunnels between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. The current rate of trucks entering Gaza through Kerem Shalom is 250 trucks per day. The increase in building activity has led to a shortage of construction workers. To make up for the deficit, young people are being sent to learn the trade in Turkey.[154]

In 2012, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said that Gaza's economic situation has improved and Gaza has become self-reliant "in several aspects except petroleum and electricity" despite Israel's blockade. Zahar said that Gaza's economic conditions are better than those in the West Bank.[155] In 2014, the EU's opinion was: "Today, Gaza is facing a dangerous and pressing humanitarian and economic situation with power outages across Gaza for up to 16 hours a day and, as a consequence, the closure of sewage pumping operations, reduced access to clean water; a reduction in medical supplies and equipment; the cessation of imports of construction materials; rising unemployment, rising prices and increased food insecurity. If left unaddressed, the situation could have serious consequences for stability in Gaza, for security more widely in the region as well as for the peace process itself."[citation needed]

2012 fuel crisis

Usually, diesel for Gaza came from Israel,[156] but in 2011, Hamas started to buy cheaper fuel from Egypt, bringing it via a network of tunnels, and refused to allow it from Israel.[157]

In early 2012, due to internal economic disagreement between the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas Government in Gaza, decreased supplies from Egypt and through tunnel smuggling, and Hamas's refusal to ship fuel via Israel, the Gaza Strip plunged into a fuel crisis, bringing increasingly long electricity shut downs and disruption of transportation. Egypt had attempted for a while to stop the use of tunnels for delivery of Egyptian fuel purchased by Palestinian authorities, and had severely reduced supply through the tunnel network. As the crisis broke out, Hamas sought to equip the Rafah terminal between Egypt and Gaza for fuel transfer, and refused to accept fuel to be delivered via the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza.[158]

In mid-February 2012, as the crisis escalated, Hamas rejected an Egyptian proposal to bring in fuel via the Kerem Shalom Crossing between Israel and Gaza to reactivate Gaza's only power plant. Ahmed Abu Al-Amreen of the Hamas-run Energy Authority refused it on the grounds that the crossing is operated by Israel and Hamas' fierce opposition to the existence of Israel. Egypt cannot ship diesel fuel to Gaza directly through the Rafah crossing point, because it is limited to the movement of individuals.[157]

In early March 2012, the head of Gaza's energy authority stated that Egypt wanted to transfer energy via the Kerem Shalom Crossing, but he personally refused it to go through the "Zionist entity" (Israel) and insisted that Egypt transfer the fuel through the Rafah Crossing, although this crossing is not equipped to handle the half-million liters needed each day.[159]

In late March 2012, Hamas began offering carpools for people to use Hamas state vehicles to get to work. Many Gazans began to wonder how these vehicles have fuel themselves, as diesel was completely unavailable in Gaza, ambulances could no longer be used, but Hamas government officials still had fuel for their own cars. Many Gazans said that Hamas confiscated the fuel it needed from petrol stations and used it exclusively for their own purposes.

Egypt agreed to provide 600,000 liters of fuel to Gaza daily, but it had no way of delivering it that Hamas would agree to.[160]

In addition, Israel introduced a number of goods and vehicles into the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom Crossing, as well as the normal diesel for hospitals. Israel also shipped 150,000 liters of diesel through the crossing, which was paid for by the Red Cross.

In April 2012, the issue was resolved as certain amounts of fuel were supplied with the involvement of the Red Cross, after the Palestinian Authority and Hamas reached a deal. Fuel was finally transferred via the Israeli Kerem Shalom Crossing, which Hamas previously refused to transfer fuel from.[161]

Current budget

Most of the Gaza Strip administration funding comes from outside as an aid, with large portion delivered by UN organizations directly to education and food supply. Most of the Gaza GDP comes as foreign humanitarian and direct economic support. Of those funds, the major part is supported by the U.S. and the European Union. Portions of the direct economic support have been provided by the Arab League, though it largely has not provided funds according to schedule. Among other alleged sources of Gaza administration budget is Iran.

A diplomatic source told Reuters that Iran had funded Hamas in the past with up to $300 million per year, but the flow of money had not been regular in 2011. "Payment has been in suspension since August," said the source.[162]

In January 2012, some diplomatic sources said that Turkey promised to provide Haniyeh's Gaza Strip administration with $300 million to support its annual budget.[162]

In April 2012, the Hamas government in Gaza approved its budget for 2012, which was up 25 percent year-on-year over 2011 budget, indicating that donors, including Iran, benefactors in the Islamic world, and Palestinian expatriates, are still heavily funding the movement.[163] Chief of Gaza's parliament's budget committee Jamal Nassar said the 2012 budget is $769 million, compared to $630 million in 2011.[163]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the State of Palestine
Population of the Gaza Strip 2000-2020[164]

In 2010 approximately 1.6 million Palestinians lived in the Gaza Strip,[142] almost 1.0 million of them UN-registered refugees.[165] The majority of the Palestinians descend from refugees who were driven from or left their homes during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The Strip's population has continued to increase since that time, one of the main reasons being a total fertility rate which peaked at 8.3 children per woman in 1991 and fell to 4.4 children per woman in 2013 which was still among the highest worldwide. In a ranking by total fertility rate, this places Gaza 34th of 224 regions.[142][166] The high total fertility rate also leads to the Gaza Strip having an unusually high proportion of children in the population, with 43.5% of the population being 14 or younger and in 2014 the median age was 18, compared to a world average of 28 and 30 in Israel. The only countries with a lower median age are countries in Africa such as Uganda where it was 15.[166]

Sunni Muslims make up the predominant part of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. Most of the inhabitants are Sunni Muslims, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Arab Christians,[167] making the region 99.8 percent Sunni Muslim and 0.2 percent Christian.[142]

Religion and culture

Gaza Strip Religions (2012 est.)[168]
Islam
 
 98%
Christianity
 
 1%
other
 
 1%

Religious compliance of population to Islam

See also: Islamism in the Gaza Strip

Islamic law in Gaza

From 1987 to 1991, during the First Intifada, Hamas campaigned for the wearing of the hijab head-cover and for other measures (such as the promotion of polygamy, segregating women from men and insisting they stay at home).[citation needed] In the course of this campaign, women who chose not to wear the hijab were verbally and physically harassed by Hamas activists, leading to hijabs being worn "just to avoid problems on the streets".[169]

In October 2000, Islamic extremists burned down the Windmill Hotel, owned by Basil Eleiwa, when they learned it had served alcohol.[152]

Since Hamas took over in 2007, attempts have been made by Islamist activists to impose "Islamic dress" and to require women to wear the hijab.[170][171] The government's "Islamic Endowment Ministry" has deployed Virtue Committee members to warn citizens of the dangers of immodest dress, card playing and dating.[172] However, there are no government laws imposing dress and other moral standards, and the Hamas education ministry reversed one effort to impose Islamic dress on students.[170] There has also been successful resistance[by whom?] to attempts by local Hamas officials to impose Islamic dress on women.[173]

According to Human Rights Watch, the Hamas-controlled government stepped up its efforts to "Islamize" Gaza in 2010, efforts it says included the "repression of civil society" and "severe violations of personal freedom."[174]

Palestinian researcher Khaled Al-Hroub has criticized what he called the "Taliban-like steps" Hamas has taken: "The Islamization that has been forced upon the Gaza Strip—the suppression of social, cultural, and press freedoms that do not suit Hamas's view[s]—is an egregious deed that must be opposed. It is the reenactment, under a religious guise, of the experience of [other] totalitarian regimes and dictatorships."[175] Hamas officials denied having any plans to impose Islamic law. One legislator stated that "[w]hat you are seeing are incidents, not policy" and that "we believe in persuasion".[172]

In October 2012 Gaza youth complained that security officers had obstructed their freedom to wear saggy pants and to have haircuts of their own choosing, and that they faced being arrested. Youth in Gaza are also arrested by security officers for wearing shorts and for showing their legs, which have been described by youth as embarrassing incidents, and one youth explained that "My saggy pants did not harm anyone." However, a spokesman for Gaza's Ministry of Interior denied such a campaign, and denied interfering in the lives of Gaza citizens, but explained that "maintaining the morals and values of the Palestinian society is highly required".[176]

Muslim worshippers in Gaza

Islamic politics

Iran was the largest state supporter of Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood also gave support, but these political relationships have recently been disrupted following the Arab Spring by Iranian support for[clarification needed] and the position of Hamas has declined as support diminishes.[citation needed]

Salafism

In addition to Hamas, a Salafist movement began to appear about 2005 in Gaza, characterized by "a strict lifestyle based on that of the earliest followers of Islam".[177] As of 2015, there are estimated to be only "hundreds or perhaps a few thousand" Salafists in Gaza.[177] However, the failure of Hamas to lift the Israeli blockade of Gaza despite thousands of casualties and much destruction during 2008-9 and 2014 wars has weakened Hamas's support and led some in Hamas to be concerned about the possibility of defections to the Salafist "Islamic State".[177]

The movement has clashed with Hamas on a number of occasions. In 2009, a Salafist leader, Abdul Latif Moussa, declared an Islamic emirate in the town of Rafah, on Gaza's southern border.[177] Moussa and nineteen other people were killed when Hamas forces stormed his mosque and house. In 2011, Salafists abducted and murdered a pro-Palestinian Italian activist, Vittorio Arrigoni. Following this Hamas again took action to crush the Salafist groups.[177]

Violence against Christians

Violence against Christians has been recorded. The owner of a Christian bookshop was abducted and murdered[178] and, on 15 February 2008, the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) library in Gaza City was bombed.[179]

Governance

Hamas government

Main articles: Governance of the Gaza Strip and Hamas government of 2012
Damaged UN school and remmants of the Ministry of Interior in Gaza City, December 2012

Since its takeover of Gaza, Hamas has exercised executive authority over the Gaza Strip, and it governs the territory through its own ad hoc executive, legislative, and judicial bodies.[180] The Hamas government of 2012 was the second Palestinian Hamas-dominated government, ruling over the Gaza Strip, since the split of the Palestinian National Authority in 2007. It was announced in early September 2012.[181] The reshuffle of the previous government was approved by Gaza-based Hamas MPs from the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) or parliament.[181]

The legal code Hamas applies in Gaza is based on Ottoman laws, the British Mandate's 1936 legal code, Palestinian Authority law, Sharia law, and Israeli military orders. Hamas maintains a judicial system with civilian and military courts and a public prosecution service.[180][182]

Security

The Gaza Strip's security is mainly handled by Hamas through its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, internal security service, and civil police force. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades have an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 operatives.[183] However, other Palestinian militant factions operate in the Gaza Strip alongside, and sometimes opposed to Hamas. The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, also known as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is the second largest militant faction operating in the Gaza Strip. Its military wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, has an estimated 8,000 fighters.[184][185][186][187] In June 2013, the Islamic Jihad broke ties with Hamas leaders after Hamas police fatally shot the commander of Islamic Jihad's military wing.[185] The third largest faction is the Popular Resistance Committees. Its military wing is known as the Al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades.

Other factions include the Army of Islam (an Islamist faction of the Doghmush clan), the Nidal Al-Amoudi Battalion (an offshoot of the West Bank-based Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades), the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades (armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine), the Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade (ISIL offshoot), Humat al-Aqsa, Jaysh al-Ummah, Katibat al-Sheikh al-Emireen, the Mujahideen Brigades, and the Abdul al-Qadir al-Husseini Brigades.[188]

Archaeology

The Gaza Museum of Archaeology was established by Jawdat N. Khoudary in 2008.[189]

Education

See also: List of universities and colleges in the State of Palestine
University College of Applied Sciences, the largest college in Gaza

In 2010, illiteracy among Gazan youth was less than 1%. According to UNRWA figures, there are 640 schools in Gaza: 383 government schools, 221 UNRWA schools and 36 private schools, serving a total of 441,452 students.[190]

In 2010, Al Zahara, a private school in central Gaza introduced a special program for mental development based on math computations. The program was created in Malaysia in 1993, according to the school principal, Majed al-Bari.[191]

In June 2011, some Gazans, upset that UNRWA did not rebuild their homes that were lost in the Second Intifada, blocked UNRWA from performing its services and shut down UNRWA's summer camps. Gaza residents also closed UNRWA's emergency department, social services office and ration stores.[192]

In 2012, there were five universities in the Gaza Strip and eight new schools were under construction.[193] By 2018, nine universities were open.

The Community College of Applied Science and Technology (CCAST) was established in 1998 in Gaza City. In 2003, the college moved into its new campus and established the Gaza Polytechnic Institute (GPI) in 2006 in southern Gaza. In 2007, the college received accreditation to award BA degrees as the University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS). In 2010, the college had a student population of 6,000 in eight departments offering over 40 majors.[194]

Health

File:Mosque conf hall iug.jpg
Islamic University of Gaza

Statistics

In Gaza, there are hospitals and additional healthcare facilities. Because of the high number of young people the mortality rate is one of the lowest in the world, at 0.315% per year.[195] The infant mortality rate is ranked 105th highest out of 224 countries and territories, at 16.55 deaths per 1,000 births.[196] The Gaza Strip places 24th out of 135 countries according to Human Poverty Index.

A study carried out by Johns Hopkins University (U.S.) and Al-Quds University (in Abu Dis) for CARE International in late 2002 revealed very high levels of dietary deficiency among the Palestinian population. The study found that 17.5% of children aged 6–59 months suffered from chronic malnutrition. 53% of women of reproductive age and 44% of children were found to be anemic. Insecurity in obtaining sufficient food as of 2016 affects roughly 70% of Gaza households, as the number of people requiring assistance from UN agencies has risen from 72,000 in 2000, to 800,000 in 2014[197]

After the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip health conditions in Gaza Strip faced new challenges. World Health Organization (WHO) expressed its concerns about the consequences of the Palestinian internal political fragmentation; the socioeconomic decline; military actions; and the physical, psychological and economic isolation on the health of the population in Gaza.[198] In a 2012 study of the occupied territories, the WHO reported that roughly 50% of the young children and infants under two years old and 39.1% of pregnant women receiving antenatal services care in Gaza suffer from iron-deficiency anemia. The organization also observed chronic malnutrition in children under five "is not improving and may be deteriorating."[199]

Healthcare availability

See also: Khalida Jarrar § Israeli denial of medical treatment

According to Palestinian leaders in the Gaza Strip, the majority of medical aid delivered are "past their expiration date." Mounir el-Barash, the director of donations in Gaza's health department, claims 30% of aid sent to Gaza is used.[200][failed verification]

Gazans who desire medical care in Israeli hospitals must apply for a medical visa permit. In 2007, State of Israel granted 7,176 permits and denied 1,627.[201][202]

In 2012, two hospitals funded by Turkey and Saudi Arabia were under construction.[203]

Culture and sports

Gaza amusement park.

Fine arts

The Gaza Strip has been home to a significant branch of the contemporary Palestinian art movement since the mid 20th century. Notable artists include painters Ismail Ashour, Shafiq Redwan, Bashir Senwar, Majed Shalla, Fayez Sersawi, Abdul Rahman al Muzayan and Ismail Shammout, and media artists Taysir Batniji (who lives in France) and Laila al Shawa (who lives in London). An emerging generation of artists is also active in nonprofit art organizations such as Windows From Gaza and Eltiqa Group, which regularly host exhibitions and events open to the public.[204]

Athletics

In 2010, Gaza inaugurated its first Olympic-size swimming pool at the As-Sadaka club. The opening ceremony was held by the Islamic Society.[205] The swimming team of as-Sadaka holds several gold and silver medals from Palestinian swimming competitions.[206]

Transport and communications

Damaged part of Gaza airport, May 2002

Transport

The Oslo Accords ceded control of the airspace and territorial waters to Israel. Any external travel from Gaza requires cooperation from either Egypt or Israel.

Highways

Salah al-Din Road (also known as the Salah ad-Deen Highway) is the main highway of the Gaza Strip and extends over 45 km (28 mi), spanning the entire length of the territory from the Rafah Crossing in the south to the Erez Crossing in the north.[207] The road is named after the 12th-century Ayyubid general Salah al-Din.

Rail transport

From 1920 to 1948, the Gaza Strip hosted sections of the Palestine Railways, connecting the region with Egypt.

Marine transport

The Port of Gaza has been an important and active port since antiquity. Despite plans under the Oslo Peace Accords to expand the port, it has been under a blockade since Hamas was elected as a majority party in the 2006 elections. Both the Israeli Navy and Egypt enforce the blockade, which continues currently and has limited many aspects of life in Gaza, especially, according to Human Rights Watch, the movement of people and commerce, with exports being most affected. The improvement and rebuilding of infrastructure is also negatively impacted by these sanctions.[208] Plans to expand the port were halted after the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada.

Air transport

The Yasser Arafat International Airport opened on 24 November 1998 after the signing of the Oslo II Accord and the Wye River Memorandum. It was closed by Israel in October 2000. Its radar station and control tower were destroyed by Israel Defense Forces aircraft in 2001 during the al-Aqsa Intifada, and bulldozers razed the runway in January 2002.[209][210] The only remaining runway in the strip, at the Gush Katif Airport, fell into disuse following Israeli disengagement. The airspace over Gaza may be restricted by the Israeli Air Force as the Oslo Accords authorized.

Telecommunications

Telephone service

The Gaza Strip has rudimentary land line telephone service provided by an open-wire system, as well as extensive mobile telephone services provided by PalTel (Jawwal) and Israeli providers such as Cellcom. Gaza is serviced by four internet service providers that now compete for ADSL and dial-up customers.

Television and radio

In 2004, most Gaza households had a radio and a TV (70%+), and approximately 20% had a personal computer. People living in Gaza have access to FTA satellite programs, broadcast TV from the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, the Israel Broadcasting Authority, and the Second Israeli Broadcasting Authority.[211]

Notable people

See also

Notes and references

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Bibliography

Books

External links

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