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Story Publication logo June 27, 2011

Daily Life in Gaza Recovers But Is Far From Normal

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Israel
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English

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Arab Spring in Syria, Egypt and Gaza

Few thought Tunisia's December 2010 uprising would so quickly spark revolts in the surrounding...

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Farmer Ahmad Shafi lives a half mile from the Israeli border. He never voted for Hamas but is prohibited by Israel from exporting almost any of his crops or importing construction supplies. He calls Israel’s policies collective punishment. “We live in a rabbit cage,” he says. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
Gasoline is in short supply and quite expensive for ordinary Gazans. Donkey and horse-drawn carts provide needed transport. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
Until about a year ago, consumer goods were in short supply. An easing of the Israeli blockade and proliferation of smuggling tunnels from Egypt has made clothing and some other goods more available. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
Market vendors sell lots of locally made products. Goods smuggled through the tunnels from Egypt are readily available but far more expensive than in the past. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
Gazans recycle and reuse anything of value. Shoe repairmen in this open air market do a thriving business. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
Economy Minister Allaa El-Rafati says Palestinians still can’t get enough construction material, medical supplies and drugs. He hopes that Egypt will open normal trade with Gaza after September, when parliamentary elections will replace Egypt’s interim government. Israel argues that Hamas will use open borders to smuggle weapons and is pressuring the Egyptian government to limit border access. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
While an estimated 70 percent of Gazans live in poverty, real estate prices in Gaza have skyrocketed recently because of the scarcity of land and high demand. Some merchants and wealthy expatriates have been purchasing real estate. Broker Essam Mortja plans to sell his house for $900,000. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
Israeli settlers pulled out of Gaza in 2005. The Israeli military destroyed most of the buildings and infrastructure at this settlement of Gush Katif, leaving only a few buildings and hothouses. The government in Gaza has leased the land to Palestinian farmers who now grow apples and other crops. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.
The former Israeli settlement of Gush Katif is now home to a recreational park that includes this water slide. It provides respite from the hot weather and even hotter political climate. Image by Reese Erlich. Gaza, 2011.

This slideshow was also published in The Atlantic.

In 2005, after Hamas won parliamentary elections in Gaza, Israel imposed an economic blockade by sealing its borders to all but a small amount of goods. Israel argues that it is punishing Hamas, a terrorist organization. Palestinians say it's a form of collective punishment. The economic blockade has eased somewhat since May 2010 when Israel came under international pressure for its attack on a flotilla of Turkish boats bringing aid to Gaza. Today Gazans survive, but life is hardly normal.

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