The Gaza Strip was governed by Egypt but conquered by Israel in 1967. Israel governed the region until it withdrew in 2005. The United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and various human-rights organizations still consider Gaza to be held under Israeli military occupation, due to what they regard as Israel’s effective military control over the territory.
Hamas seized power after winning the 2006 Palestinian election. Hamas is regarded as a terrorist organisation by many Western countries . Gaza has since been subject to ongoing blockades , wars , invasions and sanctions. In October , 2023 the most recent Gaza War erupted after Hamsa fighters invaded Israeli settlements across its border and killed more than a thousand Israelis and took hundreds of hostages .
Israel invaded vowing to wipe out Hamas . More than 30,000 Palestinians were killed and the Gaza Strip was reduced to ruins. As at March 2024 the war was ongoing and Gaza was engulfed in a deep humanitarian crisis .
The conflict between Palestinians and Israelis remains ,according to many ,the longest, most bitter and unsolvable in the world today
Population
The State of Palestine’s population in 2021 was approximately 5,300,000 .
Although Palestine claims Jerusalem as its capital, the city is under the control of Israel; both Palestinian and Israeli claims to the city are mostly unrecognized by the international community.
Gaza City has the territory’s largest population – being home to almost a million people.Jerusalem has a Palestinian population of almost 600,000 . In the West Bank the largest population centres are Hebron , Nablus, Jeniin and Ramallah .
Economy
The Palestinian economy relies heavily on donations and international aid from various sources, including the United Nations, Qatar, Turkey, the European Union, and non-governmental organisations. Additionally, a significant contribution to the economy comes from remittances sent by the Palestinian diaspora, particularly those residing in Jordan and Chile.
In the Gaza Strip, poverty is widespread due to the challenges faced by Palestinians in general. Gazans experience additional difficulties as they are subjected to a siege, with Israel controlling the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza.
The West Bank provides Palestinians with more diverse opportunities.Tourism serves as a significant source of income, particularly to places such as a Bethlehem .About 100,000 Palestinians find employment in Israeli companies as low-cost labor, earning significantly less than the average Israeli worker.
Manufacturing includes textiles, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, furniture, and electronics.Products produced in Palestine include garments, olive oil, dairy products, furniture, and ceramics
