What is the status of Gaza?

The territory is still considered to be occupied by Israel by the United Nations, International human rights organisations, and the majority of governments and legal commentators, despite the 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza.

How did the Gaza Strip come to be?

As a result of heavy fighting in autumn 1948, the area around the town under Arab occupation was reduced to a strip of territory 25 miles (40 km) long and 4–5 miles (6–8 km) wide. This area became known as the Gaza Strip.

How big is Gaza compared to a US state?

The land mass of Gaza is tiny. At 139 square miles, it’s about the same size as Detroit (138.8 square miles), Philadelphia (134.1), Las Vegas (135.8), or Portland, Oregon (133.4).

What is it like to live in Gaza?

More than a million people in Gaza are classed as “moderately-to-severely food insecure”, according to the UN, despite many receiving some form of food aid. Border crossings have been opened to allow aid convoys through, but shelling has caused some disruption to deliveries.

What is the conflict between Israel and Gaza?

Tensions are often high between Israel and Palestinians living in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank. Gaza is ruled by a Palestinian militant group called Hamas, which has fought Israel many times. Israel and Egypt tightly control Gaza’s borders to stop weapons getting to Hamas.

What does the Israel-Hamas ceasefire mean?

A ceasefire was agreed on 21 May between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. It came after 11 days of fighting, which left at least 255 people dead. Most of those killed were Palestinians in the territory of Gaza. Israel and Hamas both claimed victory in the latest conflict.

Where do Palestinian refugees live in the Middle East?

In another war in 1967, Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as most of the Syrian Golan Heights, Gaza and the Egyptian Sinai peninsula. Most Palestinian refugees and their descendants live in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in neighbouring Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

What is the two-state solution for Israel?

The two-state solution would establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel — two states for two peoples. In theory, this would win Israel security and allow it to retain a Jewish demographic majority (letting the country remain Jewish and democratic) while granting the Palestinians a state.