Inside Gaza: the world’s largest prison

On Monday, a team of Israeli commandos shot and killed 10 people after being airlifted onto a group of boats heading towards the Mediterranean coast of the Gaza Strip.

The boats were delivering aid supplies to the Palestinians, but also protesting at Israel’s prison-like ban (blockade) of Gaza for the last three years.

And as tragic as Monday’s incident was, it has successfully put the spotlight on something more tragic – life inside Gaza.

The boat incident

A group of boats from the island of Cyprus was making its way to the Gaza Strip to deliver aid.

As per the blockade rules, Israel asked them to take their aid to Israel or Egypt instead, and from there it would be checked and taken into Gaza.

But the boats repeatedly refused Israel’s requests (in protest of the blockade itself) and so Israel decided to force them to comply.

About 40 miles offshore in international waters, Israeli Special Forces landed on board the front boat via helicopter.

According to reports, they were immediately attacked by people with batons and sharp objects, and in self-defence the soldiers began shooting, killing 10 people.

The people on board were certainly provoking some kind of reaction from the Israelis by firstly refusing to abide by the blockade and then attacking the soldiers.

But the Israeli response was both heavily disproportionate and illegal. Some have even called it government terrorism.

Most of the people killed were Turkish and there has been severe condemnation from Turkey and most governments against Israel’s actions.

An investigation has been called for by the UN Security Council, although the subtle details fail to suggest whether Israel will carry that out or not.

Meanwhile, attention has consequently turned towards Gaza and whether the inhumane blockade should be lifted.

Some quick Gaza facts

• The territory known as the Gaza Strip is 40km long and 10km wide, and lies along the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by Egypt and Israel.

• It’s not connected to the other Palestinian territory of the West Bank (about 45km away).

• 1.5 million Palestinians live there.

• It was taken over by the Israeli military after the 1967 Six Day War, however Israel pulled out in 2005, forcing out thousands of Jews who had illegally built their homes there.

• Now the territory is run by the Palestinians under the Hamas party who won an overwhelming election victory in 2006.

• However, Israel and Egypt disapproved of Hamas’s victory.

• They immediately placed a large-scale ban (blockade) on goods and people moving in and out of Gaza in an effort to stop rocket fire into Israel and to crush Hamas’s popularity.

• Gaza’s airspace, land and sea borders are now fully controlled by Israel and Egypt.

Life under the Gaza blockade

Everyday life in Gaza has been made considerably worse by the blockade around the territory.

Only limited humanitarian supplies like specific food, water, clothing, fuel and medical equipment is allowed in by border guards.

All commercial goods and supplies have been almost permanently blocked, dealing a crushing blow to Gaza’s businesses and economy.

These goods range from cars and fridges to stationery and light bulbs. Only recently was some cement and wood allowed in. Fuel, gas and electricity are always in extreme shortage.

The fishing industry in Gaza has all but disappeared thanks to the maritime blockade three nautical miles offshore.

Thousands of people have lost their jobs because the most basic of ingredients or raw materials have been blocked by Israel. Most exports are banned as well.

For the 38% of people unemployed, paying for scarce items is nearly impossible. Most families’ finances and lifestyles have been ruined by the new economic conditions.

The UN was building homes for thousands of people whose houses were destroyed during the 2008 Israeli invasion. However, the homes now sit half-completed because of the materials ban.

The only way some goods can get through is via some tunnels under the border with Egypt.

But these goods are very expensive due to the extra effort and risk. Only the wealthiest Palestinians can afford to pay.

Even then, Egypt (who is under intense US pressure to cooperate) is currently building a steel underground wall to block these few remaining tunnels that weren’t bombed during the 2008 war.

The blockade has worked to a degree. The rocket fire into Israel has largely stopped due to both the lack of materials and Hamas’s ceasefire.

But over a million Palestinians suffer (not to mention those separated in the West Bank) as a result of a legitimate but vastly disproportionate crusade by Israel to stop rocket attacks – most of which fell aimlessly on empty Israeli fields.

The people from the Cyprus boats have succeeded in shining a light on Gaza’s realities. But sadly it took 10 lives for it to happen.

By The Casual Truth