The Strip gets most of its power from Israel together with further contributions from Gaza's only power plant and a small amount from Egypt. Both the Gaza Power Plant GPP and many people's individual generators depend on diesel fuel, but supplies brought in via Israel are frequently blocked causing more disruption. Since Hamas came to power in Gaza in , Egypt has largely kept its border with Gaza closed. Last year additional restrictions were imposed to try to restrict the spread of coronavirus.
The Rafah crossing into Egypt and the Erez crossing into Israel were both shut on about days and opened on only in , according to Ocha figures. In about 78, people left Gaza via the Rafah crossing but in that fell to 25, In the north, crossings into Israel at Erez also fell dramatically in - partly due to pandemic restrictions.
This year about 8, people have left Gaza via the Erez crossing, most of them patients or people accompanying them for medical care in Israel. Until the latest violence, traffic had begun to pick up again. Some aid convoys have since been allowed through, but otherwise crossings have remained shut. The blockade imposed by Israel has severely impacted movements in and out of the Strip and the ability to trade. To try to get round the blockade, Hamas has built a network of tunnels which it uses to bring goods into the Strip and also as its underground command centre.
Israel says tunnels are also used by militants to move around out of sight and are being targeted by air strikes. Coronavirus has also had an impact on the local economy, but it was just beginning to show signs of recovery, according to the World Bank, when the fighting broke out.
Gaza has one of the highest population densities in the world. According to the UN, almost , refugees in Gaza are living in eight crowded camps. On average there are more than 5, people per square kilometre - very similar to the density of population in London - but that figure rises to more than 9, in Gaza City. Israel declared a buffer zone along the border in to protect itself from rocket attacks and infiltrations by militants. The zone reduced the amount of land available for people to live or farm on.
The UN estimated about , houses were damaged or destroyed in the violence and it has since supported almost 90, families with help to rebuild their homes. Nothing colse to normal, Life here is in hold for the ninth day in a row as the fighting between Hamas and Israel continue pic. Ocha says several hundred homes have been severely damaged in the latest fighting, but it will take some time to reveal the full extent of the damage. Gaza's public health system is in a precarious state due to various reasons.
Ocha says Israel and Egypt's blockade, lower health expenditure from the West Bank-based PA and internal political conflict between the PA - which has responsibility for healthcare in the Palestinian territories - and Hamas are all to blame. Israel relinquished control of parts of Gaza and the West Bank to a semi-autonomous government, the Palestinian Authority, in exchange for an agreement to stem violence by Palestinian guerilla groups, including Hamas, which had formed during violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops in But the Palestinian Authority could not stop the attacks and Israel refused to dismantle its remaining settlements.
The following year Hamas, which had established social and educational programs in Gaza, rode a wave of popularity to an election victory. It soon fell into a week-long battle with the ruling party, Fatah, which took control of the West Bank. Sporadic rocket fire and attacks from Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza have been met with several bombing campaigns and land assaults from Israel.
Correction: The original version of this story misstated the length of time Israel occupied the Gaza strip in It was a period of five months, not a year. Write to Ciara Nugent at ciara. By Ciara Nugent. Get our History Newsletter. Put today's news in context and see highlights from the archives. Please enter a valid email address. Please attempt to sign up again. In , Israel bombed and demolished the Gaza airport, only three years after it opened. Israel claims that its occupation of Gaza ceased since it pulled its troops and settlers from the territory, but international law views Gaza as occupied territory since Israel has full control over the space.
In , the Hamas movement won general elections and seized power in a violent conflict with its rival, Fatah, after the latter refused to recognise the outcome of the vote. By blocking travel to East Jerusalem, Israel is also cutting off Christian and Muslim Palestinians in Gaza from accessing their centres of religious life. Families have been split, youth have been denied the opportunity to study and work outside of Gaza, and many have been denied their right to obtain necessary healthcare.
The blockade contravenes Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits collective punishment that prevents the realisation of a broad range of human rights.
About 56 percent of Palestinians in Gaza suffer from poverty, and youth unemployment stands at 63 percent, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. More than 60 percent of Palestinians in Gaza are refugees , expelled from their homes in other parts of Palestine in , in places such as Lydda Lod and Ramle, and now live just a few kilometres away from their original homes and towns. The siege has led to shortages of basic items, like food and fuel.
Chronic problems, such as access to education, healthcare and clean water, have become more pronounced. Since the beginning of the siege, Israel has launched four protracted military assaults on Gaza: in , , and now in Thousands of Palestinians have been killed, including many children , and tens of thousands of homes, schools and office buildings have been destroyed.
Rebuilding has been next to impossible because the siege prevents construction materials, such as steel and cement, from reaching Gaza. As a result, sewage often seeps into drinking water, which has resulted in a sharp increase in waterborne disease. Water projects are among the largest consumers of electricity. The vast majority are intercepted by Israeli missile defenses or land in open areas, but they sow widespread fear and can bring life to a standstill.
Their range has steadily increased in recent years, with some striking as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, major metropolitan areas. Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court launched an investigation into possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories. It is expected to scrutinize the actions of both Israel and Palestinian militants in the war.
The ICC has also expressed concern about the latest violence. Sections U. Science Technology Business U.
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