Gaza, the world’s largest open-air prison, has 1.7 million virtually defenceless people living under permanent Israeli siege and now being bombed by one of the world’s most powerful militaries.

Juan Cole

  • Population of Palestinians of Gaza: 1.7 million
  • Size of the Gaza strip: 41 kilometres (25 miles) long, and from 6 to 12 kilometres (3.7 to 7.5 miles) wide
  • Number of Palestinians in Gaza whose families were expelled as refugees from their homes in what is now southern Israel: 1.2 million
  • Number of Palestinians in Gaza still living in the 8 recognized refugee camps, “which have one of the highest population densities in the world”: over 500,000
  • Compensation Palestinians of Gaza have received for the billions of dollars of property taken from them by Israelis in Beersheva, Sderot, etc: $Nil
  • Years since Israel allowed Palestinians of Gaza to export what they produce: Seven
  • Unemployment in Gaza as a result of Israeli blockade on civilians: 38.5%
  • Estimated unemployment rate in US during the Great Depression: 25%
  • Percentage of children in Gaza suffering from acute malnutrition: 13.2%
  • Rate of anemia in Palestinian Children in Gaza: 18.9%
  • Percentage of water in Gaza that is potable: 10%
  • Years, according the the UN, before Gaza becomes “uninhabitable”: Six
  • Number of airports in Gaza rendered inoperable by Israeli airstrikes: 1
  • Number of airports working in Gaza: Nil
  • Number of ports allowed by Israelis to operate on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast: Nil

Source: Informed Comment

10 Jul 2014

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