Implications of Gaza blockade | Daily Writeup | Opinions
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Outline
1- Introduction
2- Current situation
3- What is the Gaza blockade?
- ✓Hamas role
- ✓Israel’s attempt to make Gaza an open-air prison
4- Consequences of blockade for Gaza
- ✓ Increase in Poverty and Unemployment
- According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, almost 53% of Gaza’s population is living in poverty, while 34% of them are facing deep poverty and are compelled to live on 3.60$ a day.
- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics shows that approximately 49% of Palestinians are unemployed, including 60% of the youth population.
- ✓ Limited access to food and clean, drinkable water and Shortage of Electricity
- According to the OCHA Humanitarian Response Plan, 2017, more than one million people in Gaza face limited access to food. Also, According to UNICEF, at least 97% of accessible water is undrinkable and tastes as salty as seawater.
- According to an Oxfam report, in 2006, Israel destroyed only one power plant in Gaza; also, due to a blockade, they were unable to rebuild it.
- ✓ Reduced Fishing zones
- According to the United Nations, the fishing zone of Gaza has been reduced from 6 nautical miles to 3 nautical miles, while fish are available only after crossing nine nautical miles.
- ✓ Decline in Psychological well-being
- According to the United Nations, at least 360,000 children in Gaza need psychosocial treatment to overcome the trauma of war.
5- Implications of the Gaza blockade and Hamas’s control for the prospects of peace in the region
- ✓ Seventeen years of blockade weakened the entire Gaza and led to severe humanitarian crises in the region
- According to an Oxfam report, almost one million people were in need of aid.
- ✓ Middle Eastern states have a deep-rooted fear of permanent displacement of Palestinian peoples, too.
- As Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said, it is important that Palestinians live on their own land and remain determined. King Abdullah of Jordan has stated a similar fear. He gave a warning against any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land.
- ✓ Iran, a sanctioned state with nuclear weapons, has been the biggest supporter of Hamas, threatening the peace of the whole region.
- According to the US State Department, Iran has been providing 100$ million annually to Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
- Iran was the first state to praise the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.
- ✓ Egypt’s involvement in the blockade, along with Israel, further heightened the tensions in the region.
- In 2008, almost tens of thousands of people flew to Egypt when Hamas attacked border fortifications. This compelled Egypt to build a wall of stones and cement, which closed all doors for Gaza.
- ✓ Hamas militant buildup and blockade have led to repeated and never-ending conflicts, attacks, violence and wars.
- Operation Hot Winter 2008, Gaza War 2008-09, March 2010, Israel –Gaza clashes, 2011 Cross-border attacks, Operation Returning Echo, Operation Pillar of Defence, 2014 Gaza War, 2018 Border protest, Clashes in November 2018 and 2019, 2020 and 2021 and lastly, Israel Hamas war of 2023.
- According to the Health Ministry of Palestine, more than thirty-seven Palestinians have been killed. And according to Save the Children, 13,800 children have been killed, and more than 12,009 children are wounded.
- ✓ Both Israel and Hamas were unable to accept each other demands, which led to the stalled peace between them.
- Israel demands Hamas to disarm and recognize the existence of Israel, while Hamas insists on lifting the blockade and an end to occupation.
6- Critical Analysis
7- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The Gaza blockade, enforced in 2007 by Israel, has severe repercussions not only for the people of Gaza but for the peace and prosperity of the whole region, which resulted in the Israel and Hamas war of 2023. According to the Health Ministry of Palestine, due to the Hamas-Israel war, more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed, including 13,800 children. Seventeen years of blockade on Gaza resulted in an increase in poverty, unemployment, limited access to food and drinkable water, electricity shortages, reduced fishing zones and a decline in psychological well-being. Also, the involvement of Iran and Egypt and the cold behaviours of Arab states have made the crises complicated. Due to Hama’s rule in Gaza, violence and conflicts never end between Hamas and Israel, which affects the people of Gaza a lot. This question analyzes the impact of the blockade on Gaza and its implications for the peace and progress of the region.
From the river to the sea
Palestinians will be free
Current situation
Currently, Gaza has been going through a brutal war with Israel. On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel and killed thousands of Israelis. As a result, a never-ending war erupted; Israel attacked the whole of Gaza. According to Aljazeera, in eight months of the war, more than thirty-five thousand Palestinians have been killed, and more than seventy-seven thousand have been injured in Gaza by Israel. Also, millions of them have been displaced. None of the Muslim states, especially Arabs, send any help to these Palestinians; conversely, these states arrest and punish those people who support Palestinians in their own states. According to the New Arab, recently, Saudi Arabia has been detaining persons because of posting on social media for the support of Palestine. On the other side, the immediate neighbouring states of Gaza, Egypt and Jordan are reluctant to help Palestinian people as they themselves have been the continued victims of Israeli attacks. Similarly, Syria, because of a long war, has been reconstructing itself and is unable to take any steps for Palestine. At the same time, Israel attacked the Iranian embassy in Syria as Iran has been the only state which openly supports Hamas, along with Qatar and Turkey. Thus, brutal wars with Israel and the cold behaviour of Muslim states have been unable to harm the courage and resilience of the Palestinian people.
What is the Gaza blockade?
After the first intifada, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin formed Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya or Hamas, in the 1980s. Previously, He was working in a local faction of the Muslim Brotherhood. In 1988, Hamas published its charter showing support for the killing of Jews, the destruction of Israel and the establishment of Palestinian land. In 2017, they again published their charter rem,oved the harsh wording against Israel and accepted the pre-six-day wars’ borders for Palestine. Hamas has strived to establish its rule, and, finally, in 2006, Hamas won the election in Gaza after defeating ‘Fatah’, an opposing party. In 2007, Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza owing to Hamas’s control over it. Israel imposed a blockade to restrict the movement of weapons due to the militant activities of Hamas. Almost two decades of blockade did not suffer Hamas a lot; conversely, 2.3 million people in Gaza have been suffering from the worst humanitarian crises. Lastly, the still ongoing Hamas war could prove to be the last nail in the coffin of Gaza.
Impacts of Gaza blockade
Two decades of blockade have been suffering all spheres of Palestinian lives. They are unable to fulfil the basic necessities of life. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, almost 53% of Gaza’s population is living in poverty, while 34% of them are facing deep poverty and are compelled to live on 3.60$ a day. Second, continuous unemployment has been the major reason for such grave statistics of poverty. Statistics published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics show that approximately 49% of Palestinians are unemployed, including 60% of the youth population. Hence, unemployment andresultant poverty are increasing day by day and making it difficult to survive.
Third, Palestinians have limited access to food and water and are also suffering from severe electricity shortages. According to the OCHA Humanitarian Response Plan, 2017, more than one million people in Gaza face limited access to food. Also, According to UNICEF, at least 97% of accessible water is undrinkable and tastes as salty as seawater. It has been estimated that by 2018, Gaza’s coastal aquifer could be damaged and unusable. In 2023, water tanks in Khan Younis were destroyed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. With it, various health and sanitation facilities also suffered, creating a severe shortage of drinkable water. Fourth, According to an Oxfam report, in 2006, Israel destroyed only one power plant in Gaza; also, due to a blockade, they were unable to rebuild it. It had erupted huge electricity crises in Gaza. Thus, Food and water shortages and electricity crises have made People’s life unbearable in Gaza.
Fifth, the fishing industry also suffered due to the blockade. According to the United Nations, the fishing zone of Gaza has been reduced from 6 nautical miles to 3 nautical miles, while fish are available only after crossing nine nautical miles. Such restriction prevents their access to 85% fishing water, which was agreed in the Oslo accord, making the life of fishermen more difficult. Also, with restrictions in all spheres of life, freedom of movement has been highly restricted. Lastly, according to the United Nations, at least 360,000 children in Gaza need psychosocial treatment to overcome the trauma of war. Thus, decades-long blockades and almost half a century of occupation have made the life of Palestinians crippled not only physically but mentally too.
Implications of the Gaza blockade and Hamas’s control for the prospects of peace in the region
After analyzing the impacts of seventeen years of blockade, now it is important to understand the implication of the Gaza blockade and Hamas’s control for the prospect of peace in the region. First, imposing restrictions on access to basic necessities of life with continuous wars and making it an open-air prison has been fuelling the biggest humanitarian crises of the region. Moreover, due to Hamas, a terrorist organization by Western nations, rule and fear of Israel, all states, especially Muslims, have been ignoring the plight of Palestinians. Before the 2023 Hamas-Israel war, according to an Oxfam report, almost one million people were in need of aid. Second, With it, the cold behaviour of neighbouring states has been a dilemma in the case of Palestine. Middle Eastern regions have been observing wars and displacement during the Yemen, Syria and Iraq wars, which is why they are fearful of the permanent displacement of Palestinian people, too. As Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said, it is important that Palestinians live on their own land and remain determined. King Abdullah of Jordan has stated a similar fear. He gave a warning against any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land. Resultantly, the humanitarian crises in Gaza and the cold behaviour of neighbouring states have been worsening the peace in the region.
Third, Iran has been the biggest supporter of not only Hamas but other Palestinian fighter groups like Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Arab states have been the enemy of Iran and its proxy groups all over the region. Clashes have erupted between Saudia Arabia and Iran many times, and both use proxy wars for it. Similarly, Hamas has been the proxy group of Iran, which Saudia Arabia and other Arab states strictly condemn. This condemnation does not harm Hamas at all, but Palestinians of Gaza suffer a lot. According to the US State Department, Iran has been providing 100$ million annually to Hamas and other Palestinian groups. Iran was the first state to praise the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. This situation has been always adding more difficulties for Gaza, the actual victims of the war. Just because of the militant outlook of Hamas and support of the sanctioned nuclear weapon state, Iran and Gaza suffered from a blockade and now an eight-month-long war, which engulfed their half millions of people. Fourth, Egypt has been involved with Israel in imposing a blockade and closing all borders with Gaza. In 2008, almost tens of thousands of people flew to Egypt when Hamas attacked border fortifications. This compelled Egypt to build a wall of stones and cement, which closed all doors for Gaza. Consequently, Iran’s support for Hamas and Egypt’s involvement in the blockade has always created more problems for the Gaza people, which also disturbed the peace in the region.
Fifth, Hamas militant buildup and blockade have led to repeated and never-ending conflicts, attacks, violence and wars. This not only became the reason for civilian causalities but also destroyed the majority of infrastructure. These conflicts and operations are Operation hot winter 2008, Gaza War 2008-09, March 2010, Israel –Gaza Clashes, 2011 Cross-border Attacks, Operation Returning Echo, Operation Pillar of Defence, 2014 Gaza War, 2018 Border Protest, Clashes in November 2018 and 2019, 2020 and 2021 and lastly, Israel Hamas war of 2023. Owing to the October 2023 war, according to the Health Ministry of Palestine, more than thirty-seven Palestinians have been killed. And according to Save the Children, 13,800 children have been killed, and more than 12,009 children are wounded. This all started with the victory of Hamas in the 2006 elections and the resultant blockade of Israel in 2007. From then on, violence never ends for the Gaza people. Lastly, Israel and Hamas have been unable to accept each other demands, which led to the stalled peace between them. Hamas never accept the existence of Israel, while Israel never accepts Hamas. Israel demands Hamas to disarm and recognize the existence of Israel. Hamas made a little effort and, in 2017, re-published its charter, which removed the harsh wording against Israel. Still, both did not show any warmth to find any solution for the fate of the Gaza people. Soon, they would be able to find a solution, but till then, no one would be left in Gaza.
Critical Analysis
The blockade on Gaza was imposed by Israel due to Hamas control, but Gaza’s people have been the main victims of this entire situation. If the blockade was removed or at least relaxed, their economy could be boosted up to 32%. Moreover, it could increase the GDP of the region by up to 40%. But removing the blockade has never been in the interest of Israel, and due to Hamas’s militant activities, Israel remains steadfast in its decision.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the blockade of Gaza and the rule of Hamas has resulted in a serious humanitarian catastrophe, including widespread poverty, unemployment, limited access to basic goods, and poor mental health. The implications for regional peace are dire, with ongoing conflict, displacement and suffering. External factors such as Iran and Egypt have exacerbated the situation, making a peaceful solution difficult. To overcome this, it is important to consider easing restrictions on dual-use items, easing the siege, addressing the humanitarian crisis, and easing external sanctions to support the Gaza economy. Resolving the situation and establishing peace requires a holistic approach, taking into account political, economic and humanitarian factors. However, the complexity of the problem, combined with the many scattered participants and disparities in knowledge, presents the potential for corruption, so it is critical to ensure that any deployment solution is transparent, accountable, and optimal. Have a style of governance.
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