ANGELA BALDWIN | staff writer
WITH AP SOURCES
Gaza’s borders have been reopened allowing humanitarian aid in from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations from all over the world. The borders were closed by Israel for 19 months denying access of weapons, medical supplies, fuel, food, and other goods to the secluded Gaza strip. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) halted aid to the area soon after as the Hamas government intercepted the aid meant for over 900,000 refugees.
The 22-day war started when Hamas fired rockets into Southern Israel on Dec. 27 killing one Israeli soldier and three civilians. Israel responded with a three-week offensive that welcomed global scrutiny from organizations such as the United Nations. The death toll reached over 1,300 Palestinians in Gaza and 13 Israelis.
Gaza strip is located west of Israel and north of Egypt. It is only 25 miles long and eight miles wide bordering the Mediterranean Sea to its west. Many of the 1.4 million Palestinians living in the Gaza strip once resided in parts that are now Israel. They have been relocated to the Gaza strip and the West Bank since the War of 1967.
In 2005, Israel closed its borders to Gaza leaving behind Israeli troops to monitor Palestinian actions against the Israeli people. Violence between the Palestinians and Israelis continued until a six-month ceasefire was activated in June of 2008. The ceasefire was violated many times by the smuggling of weapons into Gaza by Palestinians and Israeli soldiers who remained in Gaza.
The 2007 democratically elected government of Gaza, an Islamic Resistance Movement called Hamas, together with the Israeli government, has refused the renewal of the ceasefire in December of 2008. Israel kept their troops there for cautionary purposes, knowing weapons were being smuggled through underground tunnels into the country posing a threat to Israeli borders.
The West Bank is currently politically separated from the Gaza strip while the exiled Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas representing the Fatah political party works on a peaceful negotiation with Israel. Abbas met with Saudi and Egyptian leaders on Feb. 1 to discuss a peaceful negotiation.
Hamas, known to use force as a political tool, was willing to negotiate a truce with Israel if Israel opens all of Gaza’s borders. Israel was refusing to do so for fear of giving Hamas access to smuggled weapons and military supplies.
“You’re really talking about two groups who lay claim to the same plot of land,” Professor of History and Historian of Middle East studies Kurt Werthmuller said. “It is partly about Gaza, but also a message to neighboring countries. Israel felt a need to respond in some way.”
The 2005 ceasefire, which was negotiated with the assistance of Egypt, opened the borders but left them monitored by Europeans. In order for this to take place again, the Israeli government must reconcile with Hamas.
Hamas and Fatah, part of a larger political confederation called the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), are competing for the representation of the Palestinian people causing an internal Palestinian conflict separate from the conflict with Israel.
“[Hamas] must recognize, in no hidden terms and without vagueness, that the PLO is the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people; then there can be dialogue,” exiled Palestinian President Abbas said.
The Gaza strip has been isolated since the elections in 2007. The infrastructure of the area has been under great pressure with inadequate medical supplies and a poor economy. Most Palestinian refugees in the area rely on humanitarian aid.
Following the three-week war between Dec. 27 and Jan. 21, humanitarian aid is now entering the Gaza strip through organizations such as World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, which has development programs in Gaza promoting agriculture sustainability and independence from foreign aid.
“As we meet these vulnerable households’ immediate needs, we also call for conditions that will allow recovery for families throughout Gaza,” national director of World Vision Jerusalem Charles Clayton said in a press release from World Vision.
During the blockade by Israel Gaza residents dug tunnels and exchanged food supplies, weapons, and black market items from Egypt.
Due to the location of the Gaza strip, there is no access from neighboring countries, and the western border along the Mediterranean Sea is limited due to damage done by the Israeli offensive prohibiting access by water to Gaza’s docks and harbor.
The economy has suffered through the halt of exports and imports placing more value in the underground tunnels sponsored by black market suppliers. As a result, these tunnels, often dug by Palestinian youth, have been targeted by Israeli forces trying to prevent supplies from getting into the country.
The current damage assessment includes schools, universities, and homes. Over 21,000 homes have been damaged according to the U.N., and $3.7 million dollars of aid has been given to the Palestinians since the start of the war. The United States has given $85 million dollars to the United Nations Works Agency for Gaza aid.
The U.S also supports Israel and along with other European countries funds the military supplies that are used by the Israeli army giving $3 billion dollars annually.
