Editing Gaza Strip (section)

===Legality of Hamas rule===
After Hamas's June 2007 takeover, it ousted Fatah-linked officials from positions of power and authority (such as government positions, security services, universities, newspapers, etc.) and strove to enforce law by progressively removing guns from the hands of peripheral militias, clans, and criminal groups, and gaining control of supply tunnels. According to [[Amnesty International]], under Hamas rule, newspapers were closed down and journalists were harassed.<ref name="AI_torn">{{cite web |date=24 October 2007 |title=Torn apart by factional strife |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde21/020/2007/en/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150313044927/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde21/020/2007/en/ |archive-date=13 March 2015 |access-date=23 October 2007 |publisher=[[Amnesty International]]}}</ref> Fatah demonstrations were forbidden or suppressed, as in the case of a large demonstration on the anniversary of [[Yasser Arafat]]'s death, which resulted in the deaths of seven people, after protesters hurled stones at Hamas security forces.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hamas kills seven at Arafat rally in Gaza |url=http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/hamas_kills_seven_at_arafat_rally_in_gaza_135015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070813050106/http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/hamas_kills_seven_at_arafat_rally_in_gaza_135015 |archive-date=13 August 2007 |access-date=1 June 2016}}, AFP, (via SBS World News Australia), 13 November 2007.</ref>

Hamas and other militant groups continued to fire Qassam rockets across the border into Israel. According to Israel, between the Hamas takeover and the end of January 2008, 697 rockets and 822 mortar bombs were fired at Israeli towns.<ref>{{cite web |title=Israeli MFA |url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Missile+fire+from+Gaza+on+Israeli+civilian+targets+Aug+2007.htm#statistics |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011023634/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-%2BObstacle%2Bto%2BPeace/Palestinian%2Bterror%2Bsince%2B2000/Missile%2Bfire%2Bfrom%2BGaza%2Bon%2BIsraeli%2Bcivilian%2Btargets%2BAug%2B2007.htm#statistics |archive-date=11 October 2007 |access-date=1 June 2010 |publisher=Mfa.gov.il}}</ref> In response, Israel targeted Qassam launchers and military targets and declared the Gaza Strip a hostile entity. In January 2008, Israel curtailed travel from Gaza, the entry of goods, and cut fuel supplies, resulting in power shortages. This brought charges that Israel was inflicting [[collective punishment]] on the Gaza population, leading to international condemnation. Despite multiple reports from within the Strip that food and other essentials were in short supply,<ref>{{cite news |date=6 January 2009 |title=Profile: Gaza Strip |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5122404.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518081735/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5122404.stm |archive-date=18 May 2014 |access-date=21 May 2011 |work=BBC News}}</ref> Israel said that Gaza had enough food and energy supplies for weeks.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Greenberg |first1=Hanan |date=20 June 1995 |title=IDF official rejects claims of humanitarian crisis in Gaza |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3496654,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523062831/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3496654,00.html |archive-date=23 May 2011 |access-date=21 May 2011 |newspaper=Ynetnews |publisher=Ynetnews.com}}</ref>

The Israeli government uses economic means to pressure Hamas. Among other things, it caused Israeli commercial enterprises like banks and fuel companies to stop doing business with the Gaza Strip. The role of private corporations in the relationship between Israel and the Gaza Strip is an issue that has not been extensively studied.<ref>Dana Weiss and Ronen Shamir (2011) Corporate Accountability to Human Rights: The Case of the Gaza Strip. Harvard Human Rights Journal, Vol. 24, 1, 155–183.</ref>