How Gaza Copes
Fuel shortages, power cuts, aid shipments blocked by Israel — the UN now describes conditions faced by Gaza's 1.5 million people as "the worst ever." A recent BBC report tells how four Gazans are coping.
Musba Al-Shantri, a bakery owner, says the inconsistent electricity, water problems, gas shortages, and lack of available ingredients forced him to layoff five of his 12 employees and almost forced him to close. Musba admits to depending on material that comes from the smugglers' tunnels under Gaza's border with Egypt.
Fady Al-Burbar, who runs a shop selling meat and fish with his father, says, "A lot of our meat and fish has been spoiled because of the power cuts. Within two weeks I will have to close if the electricity problem continues like this — from now I will not bring more goods for my shop because I am not willing to buy things that will just perish."
Bakar Abu Al-Kas, a taxi driver in the Shujaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City, also relies on the smugglers' tunnels for needed fuel. Afraid of running out of fuel from border closures, he is storing as much as he can afford before his access runs out.
"The closure of the borders affects economic life here," Bakar explained. "Daily life becomes really tough. The borders are the soul for the Gaza Strip."
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Cash Shortage
Al-Jazeera reports that banks are closing their doors in the Gaza Strip because they don't have enough cash in their vaults to stay open. In addition, there isn't enough cash to pay 77,000 government employees. Apparently Israel may be letting in some journalists and aid soon, but they have yet to say anything about cash shipments to keep banks open or pay workers.
Violation of Human Rights
What Israel is doing is a violation of human rights. Life is already difficult for Gazans who face the daily threat of violence and lack basic necessities such as, food, water, electricity. The government of Israel is further depriving basic living conditions for people who are not involved in the war or violence that area is subjected to every day. Their barriers are starving children and men and women of all ages. It is shameful that this situation has gone on as long as it has. The international community, especially the US with its close ties to Israel should put pressure on lifting these barriers. There should be more media coverage on the situation there. The fact that even journalists have been banned from coming to that area shows Israel does not want to disclose the harsh reality they have created for Palestinians. The need to give the Palestinian people a country they can call their own is needed more than ever. No country should be controlled by another in such a dictatorship fashion.
Furthermore, situations like these drive people to terrorism. People who feel they have already lost everything - the right to live freely in their own land and keep their family safe. Children cannot go to school, parents cannot go to work and provide for their families. This is what is happening in Gaza right now because of Israel's barriers. Regardless of the fact that terrorism is never justifiable or excusable, it is important to understand the various factors that drive violent acts. When people lose all hope of ever gaining such basic and fundamental rights and are left in a hopeless cycle of poverty, they turn to violence. Read GE post: Is Poverty Linked to Terrorism?
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