Bombing and retribution
Since 2007, Gaza has been ruled by Hamas, a militant Islamic movement that is seen by Israel and the West as a terrorist group. Israel and Hamas fought three wars, the last in 2014. Rocket attacks on Israel are still regularly taking place from Gaza, often with Israeli bombing and other retaliatory actions.
Israel is blocking the access of many goods to Gaza and is controlling the borders with Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. Partly because of this the economy is in a bad state. According to the World Bank, half the population lives below the poverty line and the unemployment rate is 52 percent. Gaza has the surface of more than twice the island of Texel and has more than 1.8 million inhabitants.
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