A crippled Gaza economy

Unemployment in the Gaza Strip remains among the highest in the world and real wages have slumped by an estimated 34.5% since 2007 when Israel tightened its blockade, according to a new UN report
Gaza Strip population 1,657,000 Working-age population* 862,000
*Age 15 years or older

IN MINUTES

News and events visually

2.5 miles
Refugee camps Crossing 4km points

ISRAEL ISRAEL
Jabaliya Erez Erez

Labour force 347,540 (40.3% of working age population)

Israel controls Gazas Mediterranean coastline and airspace; Israeli drones patrol the skies; ships enforce a maritime blockade ve km from shore.

Gaza City Shati

Beit Hanoun Nahol Oz NaholOz

Karni Karni Nuseirat Bureij Maghazi Deir al-Balah camp Deir al-Balah

Employed 190,360 (54.8% of labour force) Unemployed 157,180 (45.2%)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

40

km

GAZA STRIP
Khan Younis

Kissum Kissufim Khan Younis camp Airport Not in use

Gaza
One of the most densely populated places on Earth Most residents are Palestinian refugees from families that ed there when Israel was established, in 1948.

Rafah camp Rafah

Average nonrefugee daily wage (second half of 2010)

People earing less than

300,000

$1.25
a day

of the population is below the poverty line

70%

EGYPT EGYPT

Sufa Sufa Kerem Kerem Shalom Shalom

Age structure

53.5% 15-64 years 43.9% 0-14 years

2.6%over 65 years &

$15.80 US

Egypt opens border with Gazabe opened Rafah crossing: To Strip

Egypts decision to open its border in May withfrom to ease entry restrictions permanently Gaza 09:00 to 17:00 for Palestinians marked a further policy shift since theholidays of President except Fridays and overthrow Hosni Mubarak, whose government co-operated with Israel in enforcing the four-year blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory.

Some goods that have been blocked from entering Gaza

anything that could aid in the making of armaments or fortications concrete steel wood for construction automobiles computers fruit juice chocolate coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg newspapers fabric for clothing horses, goats, cattle, chickens, donkeys shing rods. Many items are illegally smuggled into the country through underground tunnels.

How did the blockade begin?

In 2006, Hamas won parliamentary elections in Gaza and, the next year, drove out Fatah in a bloody four-day civil war. Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israels right to exist, red thousands of rockets into Israel, killing and wounding dozens of civilians and unnerving the population. Hamas also infuriated Israelis by refusing to return a kidnapped soldier, Gilad Shalit, whom militants had abducted from an Israeli border post in 2006. In 2007, Israel imposed a full blockade. Israels goal is to weaken Hamas and reduce its capacity for terrorism. They hope that Palestinians will weary of deprivation and oust Hamas.

Jan 2006: Hamas wins Palestinian Authority legislative election 2006: Israel imposes blockade after Israeli solider Gilad Shalit is snatched by Gaza-base militants Jun 2007: Hamas seizes control of Gaza from Fatah after wave of ghting that kills over 100 people. Israel tightens blockade of Gaza Strip Dec 2008: Israel launches full scale invasion around 1,400 Palestinians killed May 2010: Israeli forces seize aid convoy of six ships aiming to break through blockade, killing nine Turkish activists May 3, 2011: Unity deal between Fatah and Hamas signed May 28: Egypt opens border

Blockade timeline

Sources: Graphic News; UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA); wire services

QMI AGENCY