Palestine · A closer look
2007
Gaza sealed
Israel withdrew its settlers from Gaza in 2005. After Hamas won the 2006 elections and took control of the Strip in 2007, Israel and Egypt closed it to most people and goods. Two million people lived on 365 square kilometres; by 2012 the UN was warning the territory could be unliveable by 2020. Wars in 2008 to 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2021 killed more than four thousand Palestinians.
Restrictions before and after 2007
Restrictions on movement predated 2007, but intensified after Hamas took control of Gaza that June. Israel imposed a land, sea and air blockade, citing security concerns. Egypt also controlled access through its border. The resulting system involved more than a closed gate: permissions, lists of restricted goods and decisions about crossings shaped the movement of people, imports and exports, with consequences across the economy.
Source: UN OCHA: Gaza blockade
Living within the restrictions
OCHA's assessment of the first fifteen years described profound effects on living conditions and on Gaza's connections with the West Bank. Students, patients, workers and families faced different access requirements, while businesses depended on uncertain movement of inputs and finished goods. Restrictions on fishing and access to agricultural land added further pressures. These effects accumulated alongside repeated rounds of hostilities and damage to essential infrastructure.
Why the earlier history matters
The humanitarian crisis that followed October 2023 developed in a territory already affected by years of restrictions, repeated destruction and limited opportunities for recovery. The blockade period helps explain that starting point without making the later war inevitable. It also shows the connection between political arrangements and everyday systems: healthcare, water, electricity and employment depend on reliable access to supplies and on people's ability to move.