Changes

==History==

==History==

[[History|Historically]] the Gaza Strip was part of the land controlled by ancient [[Israel]] after the removal of the [[Philistines]].  An Islamic area since the Islamic conquest of the 7th century, it was controlled by the British after [[World War I]] and was to be a part of an independent Palestinian state in 1948 based upon a UN partition, but the first Arab-Israeli War saw Israel take most of the region that would have made the Arab state and Egypt absorbed the Gaza Strip, which overflowed with refugees from the war.  In 1967 Israel overran the area in the [[Six Day War]] and administered the region.  They built settlements, but these never attracted many people and only 10,000 Israelis lived there by 2005 among the Palestinians.  The Israeli government withdrew, with strong objections from the settlers, leaving the area under the control of the [[Palestinian Authority]].  In 2007, [[Hamas]] overran the Palestinian authority and took defacto control for themselves.

[[History|Historically]] the Gaza Strip was part of the land controlled by ancient [[Israel]] after the removal of the [[Philistines]].  An Islamic area since the Islamic conquest of the 7th century, it was controlled by the British after [[World War I]] and was to be a part of an independent Palestinian state in 1948 based upon a UN partition, but the first Arab-Israeli War saw Israel take most of the region that would have made the Arab state and Egypt absorbed the Gaza Strip, which overflowed with refugees from the war.  In 1967 Israel overran the area in the [[Six Day War]] and administered the region.  They built settlements, but these never attracted many people and only 10,000 Israelis lived there by 2005 among the Palestinians.  The Israeli government withdrew, with strong objections from the settlers, leaving the area under the control of the [[Palestinian Authority]].  In 2007, [[Hamas]] overran the Palestinian authority and took de facto control for themselves.

== Hostilities in late 2008-present ==

== Hostilities in late 2008-present ==

==Today==

==Today==

A very poor and desolate area, the residents of the area live in poverty and squalor, mainly due to the control of their daily lives by Hamas.  The Strip is not self sufficient and counts on outside aid, but Hamas takes most foreign aid for itself to manufacture more bombs and rockets.  There is continued friction with Israel with home made rockets being fired by the Gaza residents and occasional open fighting.  Hamas does not recognize Israel's right to exist. The Strip has been the source of many suicide missions against Israel as well Kasam rocket fire against the settlements and towns of southern Israel.  

A very poor and desolate area, the residents of the area live in poverty and squalor, mainly due to the control of their daily lives by Hamas.  The Strip is not self-sufficient and counts on outside aid, but Hamas takes most foreign aid for itself to manufacture more bombs and rockets.  There is continued friction with Israel with home made rockets being fired by the Gaza residents and occasional open fighting.  Hamas does not recognize Israel's right to exist. The Strip has been the source of many suicide missions against Israel as well Kasam rocket fire against the settlements and towns of southern Israel.  

Israel controls the Gaza strip’s airspace and offshore maritime access, in order to prevent more materials being given to Hamas terrorists.

Israel controls the Gaza strip’s airspace and offshore maritime access, in order to prevent more materials being given to Hamas terrorists.