Gaza Under Siege

Since the withdrawal the Gazan population is almost entirely Palestinian Arabs. More than 99% are Sunni Muslims, with a minority Christian population. The region saw a huge increase of Palestinian refugees after the creation of Israel in 1948. Refugees from that time make almost half of the population.

The Gaza Strip now one of the most densely populated areas in the world: Almost 1.5 million people live within its 146 square miles. 80% of Gazans live below the poverty line. Roughly 75% of the population is under 25.

1948-49
British troops leave Mandatory Palestine. The State of Israel is declared.
Following the signing of the armistice, the Gaza Strip comes under Egyptian military rule.

1967
Israel captures the Gaza Strip during the Six Day War. The UN Security Council passes Resolution 242, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the war in exchange for an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

1970-72
In 1970, Kfar Darom - a Jewish community in the Strip evacuated in 1948 - is re-established as a para-military Nahal outpost. In 1972, Netzer Hazani, the first civilian Jewish community in the Gaza Strip, is founded. And Netzarim and Morag are founded as para-military Nahal outposts.

1978
Israel and Egypt sign the Camp David Accords, where they pledge to try to reach an agreement on Palestinian autonomy in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Jewish settlement groups start to establish more settlements to ensure Jewish presence in the Gaza Strip.

1994
The Gaza-Jericho Agreement is signed; IDF forces leave most of the Strip's Palestinian inhabited areas, but maintain control of the Jewish settlements, borders and certain strategic points.

1995
Hamas and Islamic Jihad carry out suicide bombings against Israelis. Israel surrounds the Strip with a security fence. Israel and the Palestinian Authority sign the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

2000-01
Camp David Summit fails. The Second Intifada begins. Jewish settlements in Gaza constantly attacked. Palestinians in Gaza fire missiles at Israeli communities in the Negev. Israeli helicopters attack targets in Palestinian areas, and IDF tanks enter refugee camps. Curfews placed on Palestinians, security at checkpoints increased.

2003-04
In response to Palestinian attacks, the IDF recaptures parts of the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon presents a Disengagement Plan from Gaza and the northern West Bank.

2005
Knesset ratifies Sharon's Disengagement Plan. Government announces August 15 as the day disengagement is set to begin. Nationwide anti-disengagement protests begin.

1979 - Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty that returned the Sinai Peninsula, which borders Gaza, to Egyptian control. Alsa (a 100-meter-wide strip of land known as the Philadelphi corridor) was established as a buffer zone between Gaza and Egypt. Israel built a barrier there during the Palestinian uprisings (early 2000s). It's made mostly of corrugated sheet metal, and stretches of concrete topped with barbed wire.

2005 - After Israel's pull out of Gaza, Israel and Egypt reach a military agreement regarding the border. It specified that 750 Egyptian border guards would guard the length of the border. Both Egypt and Israel pledged to work together to stem terrorism, arms smuggling, and other cross-border activities.

Nov. '05 - July 2007 - The Rafah Crossing the only entry-exit point along the Gaza-Egypt border jointly controlled by Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, with the European Union (EU) monitoring Palestinian compliance.

June 2007 - Hamas takes over, the EU pulls out, and Egypt agreed with Israel to shut down the Rafah Crossing.

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Geographic coordinates:
31 25 N, 34 20 E

Area:
Total: 360 sq km
Land: 360 sq km - Water: 0 sq km

Land boundaries:
Total: 62 km
Border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims:
Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Climate:
Temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:
arable land, natural gas

Land use:
Arable land: 28.95%
Permanent crops: 21.05% - Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Other: 50% (2001)

Natural hazards: droughts

Environment - current issues:
desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

The below is a link to a page on the UN site where you can write a letter to a UN representative. Write asking them to halt the blockades that are being instituted by Israel against the people of Gaza. There is a lack of medical supplies, medicine, food, water, and a variety of other essentials. The systematic murder of innocent people is ongoing but silently.

Let your voice be heard!

The attacks on The Gaza Strip started the morning of Dec 27th 2008. Up till now there have been over 1300 murdered and over 5300 injured. The attack has taken place by land, air and sea. Schools, mosques, hospitals, and UN buildings have been leveled making it impossible to find a safe haven.

DIME and White Phosphorus Munitions fired in densely civilian populated areas, and medical aid is forbidden from entering certain areas. Blockades, poor clean water supply, and cut in electricity make life in Gaza impossible. UN food distribution (storage) centers were also not spared.

UPDATES: News Updates On The Situation In Gaza

Update:
Jan. 16, 2009
Hamas proposed a one-year truce with Israel in exchange for its withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the blockage of Gaza.

Jan. 18, 2009
The Israelis stopped their merciless attack today. Death toll is over 1200 with bodies still being found. In a last ditch effort to kill as many as possible a building was attacked which killed 100 people.

Jan. 17 - 18, 2009
After a cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which would start from 2:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT).

Jan. 20, 2009
Total estimated deaths...
4 reporters, 20 doctors, 430 children
220 - 250 women and elderly
New Death Toll: 1300
Despite the proclaimed cease-fire ground troops still are firing at civilians.

Jan. 24 - 26, 2009
Death Toll: 1300+ - INJURIES: 5340

Medical Teams have been rejected entry into Gaza from Rafah entry points from the Egyptian side... latest team rejected entry was from Africa which was a team of 25 doctors one of which was taken into "questioning".

Jordan sent medical aid to Gaza on Monday. 33 trucks with 200 medical staff will enter Gaza to set up a field hospital to treat wounded. The medical staff will enter Gaza through the Erez crossing. Jordan charities also send humanitarian aid in the form of foodstuffs and medicines to Gaza daily.

Jan. 27 - 29, 2009
Air strikes are started again as Israel claims it is in retaliation. (They never needed a false reason to kill before, i guess it is to shut people up with this latest excuse).

Turkish President leaves in anger as he is cut off during his turn at a Economic Meet when he objects to applause and calls on Preze for the murder of Palestinians in Gaza. Apparently even the leaders are not allowed to say anything that would upset Israel.

February 13, 2009
Israel Opens the Gaza Border for 25,000 Carnations, Bound for Europe
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Israel allowed the export of a shipment of flowers from Hamas-run Gaza on Thursday for the first time in roughly a year. (The border is opened for flowers but not for medical aide... how sweet of them)

February 5, 2009
WFP (World Food Programme) has widened its emergency relief programme in the occupied Palestinian territory by distributing ready-to-eat meals to feed sick and injured patients in hospitals across Gaza.

February 17, 2009
Israeli aircraft bombed sites suspected of being smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border on Monday.

February 19, 2009
Israel's security cabinet voted Wednesday to make the opening of Israel's border crossings with Gaza conditional on the release of an Israeli soldier held by Hamas.

August 2009
Till now borders are closed to food and medical supplies. Unemployment is close to 45%... fishing which used to compose a large part of the diet is now limited and threatened as fishing boats are not allowed to leave (has been the case for a long time even worse now). Water supplies are low... dangerously low and being rationed out in small quantities... the media is pretending all is well but all is NOT well...

A new year with the same old horrors..
Till now as we enter the month of March relief efforts are being suffocated and made even more impossible for those suffering under this inhumane prison by means of blockades and restrictions on Aide in any form to enter...

Worldwide it has generally been accepted that Hamas is a terrorist group attacking "innocent" Israelis. Others say no it is a form of resistance against the illegal occupation and land grab that has been occurring for far too long.

Here I provide you some information that was found on About.com (Click Here To Read More Details) some of which I edited out. However, I provided the link so that you could read the entire piece if you would like.

While reading... keep in mind... what conclusion would you draw if your country was under attack and there was a group such as Hamas?
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About Hamas
The following has been taken from About.com
Name:
"Hamas" acronym for the group's name (in Arabic): Harakat Al Muqawama Al Islamiyya (Islamic Resistance Movement), and a word that means or "enthusiasm."

Founded In:
1987 as an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, a religious and political organization originating in Egypt in 1928. Founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. He was assassinated April 2004.

Home Base:
Gaza City, one of the areas occupied by Israel in the 1967 war.

Backing & Affiliations :
Hamas has historically (supposedly - in my view) received support from Iran and private donors, especially in Saudi Arabia, the Arabian gulf region, and from Palestinian expatriates.

Many funds historically have been directed to Hamas through Islamic charity organizations, but this funding has slowed since crackdowns on terrorist financing following 9/11. (Note: This was not a common thing but the media made it seem that it was.)

Objectives:
To establish an Islamic state in the West Bank and the Gaza strip. They are explicit on this point: "Hamas regards Nationalism as part and parcel of the religious faith. Nothing is loftier or deeper in Nationalism than waging Jihad against the enemy and confronting him when he sets foot on the land of the Muslims."

Attitude toward Israel:
Historically, Hamas has called for the destruction of the state of Israel, and refused to recognize it. As the chief governing party of the Palestinian territories after their election victory in Jan. 2006, Hamas has tacitly acknowledged a more normal relationship with Israel.

Organization:
Hamas was first organized as a non-violent charitable organization. Several years after its founding, it had established recruitment, security and publications sections.

It also created a military wing called the Izz Al Din Qassam Brigades, which has been responsible for most Hamas violence, including its suicide bombings in Israel.

In keeping with its early mission to cleanse Palestinian society, Hamas' first acts of violence were committed against Palestinian criminals or perceived collaborators with the Israelis. They have since claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks against both military and civilian Israeli targets, in shootings, knifings, and short-range rocket attacks, as well as suicide attacks.

Political Activity:
On January 25, 2006, Hamas won 74 of 132 seats in Palestinian Legislative Council, beating out the ruling party, Fatah, which put Hamas in charge of the Palestinian government. Problems immediately ensued, since Western government were unwilling to fund a government run by an organization designated as a terrorist organization. Conflict between the secular Fatah and Hamas has also prevented the creation of a national government.

DIME: (Dense Inert Metal Explosive)
A weapon recently developed by the US army to create a powerful and lethal blast over a small area. The munition is supposed to still be in the development stage and is not yet regulated. There are fears, however, that Israel may have received a green light from the US military to treat Gaza as a testing ground. When detonated, a Dime device expels a blade of charged tungsten dust that burns and destroys everything within a four-metre radius. Survivors have a higher risk of getting cancer.

White Phosphorus A.K.A. Willie Pete: (Used by the USA as well in Iraq)
White phosphorus (WP) is a flare- and smoke-producing incendiary weapon, or smoke-screening agent. It creates spectacular bursts when used in artillery shells and is very damaging to the skin since it burns on exposure to oxygen.

Flechettes:
4cm long metal darts that are sharply pointed at the front, with four fins at the rear. Between 5,000 and 8,000 are packed into 120mm shells which are generally fired from tanks. The shells explode in the air and scatter the flechettes in a conical pattern over an area about 300m wide and 100m long.

Depleted Uranium: (Used by the USA as well in Iraq)
Depleted uranium hardens shells and bombs and increases their penetrating power. Meaning that the weapon has a higher kill rate than regular munitions. Those that do survive coming in contact with it have serious deformities and a higher risk of cancer.

On Jan 6, 2009 Venezuela made headlines (when in support of the Palestinians being massacred in Gaza) when they expelled the Israeli Ambassadors it's country. Ever since this happened citizens have been calling for their leaders to do the same.

I have not found any information of any countries doing the same... if you know of any please add a comment below... Thank You =)

JEWS against MURDER

Letter by prominent British Jews on Israel's war on Gaza

01.10.2009 | The Guardian

We the undersigned are all of Jewish origin. When we see the dead and bloodied bodies of young children, the cutting off of water, electricity and food, we are reminded of the siege of the Warsaw Ghetto. When Dov Weisglass, an adviser to the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, talked of putting Gazans "on a diet" and the deputy defence minister, Matan Vilnai, talked about the Palestinians experiencing "a bigger shoah" (holocaust), this reminds us of Governor General Hans Frank in Nazi-occupied Poland, who spoke of "death by hunger".

The real reason for the attack on Gaza is that Israel is only willing to deal with Palestinian quislings. The main crime of Hamas is not terrorism but its refusal to accept becoming a pawn in the hands of the Israeli occupation regime in Palestine. The decision last month by the EU council to upgrade relations with Israel, without any specific conditions on human rights, has encouraged further Israeli aggression. The time for appeasing Israel is long past. As a first step, Britain must withdraw the British ambassador to Israel and, as with apartheid South Africa, embark on a programme of boycott, divestment and sanctions.