Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Country: occupied Palestinian territory
BACKGROUND
Longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza have undermined the living conditions of about two million Palestinians in that area. Many of the restrictions, originally imposed by Israel in the early 1990s, were intensified after June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of Gaza and the imposi- tion of a blockade. These restrictions continue to reduce access to livelihoods, essen- tial services and housing, disrupt family life, and undermine people’s hopes for a secure and prosperous future. Between June 2013 and May 2018, restrictions imposed at Rafah Crossing with Egypt further compounded the situation.