Editing Gaza Strip (section)

=== Post-2006: Hamas takeover ===
{{main|Fatah–Hamas conflict}}

In the [[2006 Palestinian legislative election|Palestinian parliamentary elections]] held on 25 January 2006, Hamas won a plurality of 42.9% of the total vote and 74 out of 132 total seats (56%).<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/25/africa/web.0125pals.php Counting underway in Palestinian elections], International Herald Tribune, 25 January 2006. {{dead link |date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200601/s1557518.htm Election officials reduce Hamas seats by two], ABC News Online, 30 January 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629015352/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200601/s1557518.htm |date=29 June 2011}}</ref> When Hamas assumed power the next month, Israel, the United States, the EU, Russia and the UN demanded that Hamas accept all previous agreements, recognize Israel's right to exist, and renounce violence; when Hamas refused,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/22/world/middleeast/22cnd-mideast.html |title=Hamas Refuses to Recognize Israel |work=The New York Times |date=22 September 2006 |access-date=12 February 2023 |archive-date=9 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209055114/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/22/world/middleeast/22cnd-mideast.html |url-status=live}}</ref> they [[2006–07 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority|cut off direct aid to the Palestinian Authority]], although some aid money was redirected to humanitarian organizations not affiliated with the government.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weisman |first=Steven R. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/08/world/middleeast/08hamas.html |title=U.S. and Europe Halt Aid to Palestinian Government |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=8 April 2006 |access-date=21 May 2011 |archive-date=11 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511222935/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/08/world/middleeast/08hamas.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The resulting political disorder and economic stagnation led to many Palestinians emigrating from the Gaza Strip.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/12/09/international/i104249S77.DTL |title=More Palestinians flee homelands |access-date=15 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515044844/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2006%2F12%2F09%2Finternational%2Fi104249S77.DTL |archive-date=15 May 2007}}, Sarah El Deeb, Associated Press, 9 December 2006.</ref>

[[File:Gaza City.JPG|thumb|[[Gaza City]] skyline, 2007]]

In January 2007, fighting erupted between Hamas and [[Fatah]]. The deadliest clashes occurred in the northern Gaza Strip. On 30 January 2007, a truce was negotiated between Fatah and Hamas.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/31/AR2007013100198_pf.html ''Palestinian Cease-Fire Holds on 1st Day''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020070636/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/31/AR2007013100198_pf.html |date=20 October 2017}}. Ibrahim Barzak, Associated Press, 31 January 2007</ref> After a few days, new fighting broke out. On 1&nbsp;February, Hamas killed 6 people in an ambush on a Gaza convoy which delivered equipment for Abbas' [[Palestinian Presidential Guard]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070201/wl_nm/palestinians_dc |title=Six killed in Hamas ambush on Gaza convoy |access-date=6 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206223752/http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070201/wl_nm/palestinians_dc |archive-date=6 February 2007}}. Nidal al-Mughrabi, Reuters, 1 February 2007. On web.archive.org</ref> Fatah fighters stormed a Hamas-affiliated university in the Gaza Strip. Officers from Abbas' presidential guard battled Hamas gunmen guarding the Hamas-led Interior Ministry.<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-02-02-gaza_x.htm ''Gaza erupts in fatal clashes after truce''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113215206/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-02-02-gaza_x.htm |date=13 January 2014}}. Associated Press, 2 February 2007 (on usatoday.com)</ref> In May 2007, new fighting broke out between the factions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians |title=Hamas kills 8 in Gaza border clash |access-date=17 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517061856/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians |archive-date=17 May 2007}}, By Ibrahim Barzak, Associated Press Writer, 15 May 2007.</ref> Interior Minister [[Talab al-Qawasmi|Hani Qawasmi]], who had been considered a moderate civil servant acceptable to both factions, resigned due to what he termed harmful behavior by both sides.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians_34;_ylt=AjoLFAN_35SNS_Y9GqjHedwUvioA Top Palestinian security official quits] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402142039/https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians_34%3B_ylt%3DAjoLFAN_35SNS_Y9GqjHedwUvioA |date=2 April 2015}} By Sarah El Deeb, Associated Press, 14 May 2007; [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6653437.stm Resignation deepens Gaza crisis], BBC, 14 May 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511121307/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467655416&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull |date=11 May 2011}}</ref>

Fighting spread in the Gaza Strip, with both factions attacking vehicles and facilities of the other side. Following a breakdown in an Egyptian-brokered truce, Israel launched an air strike which destroyed a building used by Hamas. Ongoing violence prompted fear that it could bring the end of the [[Palestinian government of March 2007|Fatah-Hamas coalition government]], and possibly the end of the Palestinian authority.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070516/ts_nm/palestinians_dc Israel attacks in Gaza amid factional violence] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609072031/https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070516/ts_nm/palestinians_dc |date=9 June 2007}}, by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Associated Press, 16 May 2007.</ref> Hamas spokesman [[Mousa Abu Marzook]] blamed the conflict between Hamas and Fatah on Israel, stating that the constant pressure of economic sanctions resulted in the "real explosion."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708616387&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull |title=Hamas Blames World |work=Jerusalem Post |date=16 May 2007 |access-date=21 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511121359/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708616387&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull |archive-date=11 May 2011}}</ref> From 2006 to 2007 more than 600 Palestinians were killed in fighting between Hamas and Fatah.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3409548,00.html |title=Over 600 Palestinians killed in internal clashes since 2006 |newspaper=Ynetnews |publisher=Ynetnews.com |date=20 June 1995 |access-date=12 December 2010 |archive-date=30 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130195941/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3409548,00.html |url-status=live}}</ref> 349 Palestinians were killed in fighting between factions in 2007. 160 Palestinians killed each other in June alone.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.btselem.org/English/Inter_Palestinian_Violations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510125140/http://www.btselem.org/English/Inter_Palestinian_Violations/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 May 2008 |title=Violations of the human rights of Palestinians by Palestinians – Severe human rights violations in inter-Palestinian clashes |publisher=Btselem.org |date=12 November 2007 |access-date=12 December 2010}}</ref>