Human Security and Humanitarian Trends in Gaza: Looking at the Past Decade

While commonly thought of as a means by Israel to combat legitimate security threats, the closure of Gaza was in fact also implemented as a means of imposing pressure on the civilian population and the de facto ruler of Gaza – Hamas. While some changes were made on access to the Strip, remaining restrictions, ongoing hostilities, and successive military operations as well as the Palestinian political divide have resulted in continued intense suffering. Ten years since the Hamas takeover, civilians continue to pay the price for the current predicament – while Gaza’s isolation and separation grows steadily.