Gaza: Nearly Two Decades of Israeli Incursions, Siege, and Blockade
More than 16 years ago, the Israeli military put the Gaza Strip under a complete blockade—by land, air, and sea. Today, the Strip—25 miles long and 7 miles wide (twice the size of Washington, DC)—is home to 2.2 million Palestinians, most of whom are refugees from the 1948 Nakba and the 1967 war, and more than half are under the age of 18. Due to Israel’s siege, the majority of Palestinians in Gaza do not have access to basic needs such as healthcare, water, sanitation services, and electricity. According to the UN, 63 percent of the population is food insecure and is dependent on international aid; more than 80 percent live in poverty; 95 percent do not have access to clean water; and the unemployment rate is over 46 percent.
Currently, Israeli forces are conducting another incursion in Gaza in response to different Palestinian resistance groups’ attack on southern Israel. These groups have stated that this attack was launched in response to Israel’s persistent siege on Gaza and its recurring violations on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, as well as the oppressive policies of the new extreme-right Israeli government and its normalization agreements with a rising number of states in the region. After nine days of Israel’s latest assault on Gaza, the Palestinian death toll will soon exceed 3,000 and is expected to rise as Israel continues to pummel and reduce the entire besieged enclave to rubble. This latest incursion—and by far the most brutal—is the sixth one since 2008 and the Israeli military plans a ground attack in the coming days. This collection of articles, essays, and interviews provide nuanced, vital context and background to the situation.
Image Caption: RAFAH, GAZA: A woman sits on a street filled with concrete pieces of destroyed buildings as Israeli airstrikes continue on the fifth day in Rafah, Gaza on October 11, 2023. (Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)