18 May 2014, from Al Jazeera.

aljazeera_gaza_under_siege_2014
#BreakGazaSiege

Gaza residents testify about the effects Israel and Egypt’s blockade of their land has had on their lives.

Denied freedom of movement, 1.7 million Palestinians are stuck in limbo, unable to enter or leave the Gaza Strip.  As a result, they lack access to adequate medical care, and the ability to work and pursue education abroad.

Israel has a long history of isolating the Gaza Strip, subjecting it to many closures since the 1990s.

However, the blockade imposed since 2007, following Hamas’ electoral victory and subsequent takeover of Gaza, has been an unprecedented form of severe collective punishment.

Interactive maps, interviews, video >>>

  • What does Gaza mean to you?
  • What does it mean to be under siege?
  • Why the tunnels?
  • How has health care been affected?
  • How has it affected education?
  • Electricity blackouts
  • How has it created a water crisis?
  • What does the future hold?
HOW HAS IT CREATED A WATER CRISIS?
HOW HAS IT AFFECTED EDUCATION?
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE UNDER SIEGE?
Gaza’s electricity demand is about 360 megawatts a day. However, the sole power plant is only capable of producing approximately 80 megawatts a day. Israel and Egypt supply an additional 120 and 22 megawatts respectively, which is still short of the amount necessary.Israel permits the entry of only enough fuel to run the power plant at 45 percent of the capacity needed to adequately supply the demand in Gaza.

AIR BLOCKADE
Starting in 2000, Israel intensified its control and siege over Gaza’s airspace.The first cohesive blockade of Gaza’s air, sea and land came in 2006 when fighters there captured an Israeli soldier, and was further heightened in mid-2007 when Hamas took control of Gaza.

Israel regularly uses Gaza’s airspace for drone attacks and airstrikes against various targets.

The air siege over Gaza has had an overwhelming economic cost as well. Palestinians are not allowed to build their own airport or seaport, so the foreign trade of Gaza is solely conducted via Israeli ports.

BLACKOUTS
The entire Gaza Strip now experiences power outages of up to 12 hours a day, disrupting all aspects of life.Al-Shifa hospital, Gaza’s main hospital, depends on four generators for its electricity. These generators are old and in constant need of repair. But the Israeli and Egyptian closure makes it very difficult to obtain the parts needed.

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