Editing Gaza Strip (section)

====Characterization as open-air prison====
Several rights groups have characterized the situation in Gaza as an "open-air prison",<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/9/palestinians-in-lebanon-ready-to-fight-israel-if-hezbollah-helps-them |title=Palestinians in Lebanon ready to fight Israel, if Hezbollah helps them |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=9 October 2023 |archive-date=9 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009161501/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/9/palestinians-in-lebanon-ready-to-fight-israel-if-hezbollah-helps-them |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="open-air prison">Multiple sources:
* [[Jonathan Cook]], [http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/how-israel-is-turning-gaza-into-a-super-max-prison 'How Israel is turning Gaza into a super-max prison,'] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220012330/http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/how-israel-is-turning-gaza-into-a-super-max-prison |date=20 December 2014 }} [[The National (Abu Dhabi)]] 27 October 2014: 'One Israeli analyst has compared the proposed solution to transforming a third-world prison into a modern US super-max incarceration facility.'
* [http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/12635-noam-chomsky-my-visit-to-gaza-the-worlds-largest-open-air-prison ''Noam Chomsky: My Visit to Gaza, the World's Largest Open-Air Prison''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024235819/http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/12635-noam-chomsky-my-visit-to-gaza-the-worlds-largest-open-air-prison |date=24 October 2015 }}. Truthout, 9 November 2012: 'And it hardly takes more than a day in Gaza to appreciate what it must be like to try to survive in the world's largest open-air prison,'
* [[David Cameron]], [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/21/world/middleeast/havens-are-few-if-not-far-for-palestinians-in-gaza-strip-seeking-refugee-status.html ''Havens Are Few, if Not Far, for Palestinians in Gaza Strip''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708035445/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/21/world/middleeast/havens-are-few-if-not-far-for-palestinians-in-gaza-strip-seeking-refugee-status.html |date=8 July 2017 }}. NYT, 20 July 2014: "Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain in 2010 called Gaza "an open-air prison", drawing criticism from Israel."
* Alistair Dawber, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tales-from-gaza-what-is-life-really-like-in-the-worlds-largest-outdoor-prison-8567611.html 'Tales from Gaza: What is life really like in 'the world's largest outdoor prison'?'] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813080736/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tales-from-gaza-what-is-life-really-like-in-the-worlds-largest-outdoor-prison-8567611.html |date=13 August 2017 }} [[The Independent]] 13 April 2013.'Locals call it "the world's biggest prison", and it's not difficult to understand why...Mr Jnead's children, and their prospects in what is often referred to as the world's largest open prison, is top of his concerns.'
* Zaki Chehab, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V-8BAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT194 ''Inside Hamas: The Untold Story of Militants, Martyrs and Spies,''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102100700/https://books.google.com/books?id=V-8BAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT194 |date=2 November 2022 }} I.B.Tauris, 2007 p.182:'The Rafiah crossing is the gateway to what Palestinians refer to as their open-air prison – the Gaza Strip.'
* Anna Ball, [https://books.google.com/books?id=NX3aAAAAQBAJ 'Impossible Intimacies,'] in Anastasia Valassopoulos (ed.) ''Arab Cultural Studies: History, Politics and the Popular,'' Routledge 2013 pp71-91 p.73: "...Gaza Strip Barrier, a structure that has sealed Gaza's border with Israel and has led to Gaza's description as ″the world's largest open-air prison",</ref> including the [[United Nations]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Tétrault-Farber |first=Gabrielle |date=2023-07-11 |editor-last=Maclean |editor-first=William |title=Israel occupation makes Palestinian territories 'open-air prison', UN expert says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-occupation-makes-palestinian-territories-open-air-prison-un-expert-2023-07-11/ |access-date=12 October 2023 |work=[[Reuters]] |archive-date=4 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104141357/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-occupation-makes-palestinian-territories-open-air-prison-un-expert-2023-07-11/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Human Rights Watch]],<ref name="HRW111">{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/14/gaza-israels-open-air-prison-15|title=Gaza: Israel's 'Open-Air Prison' at 15|date=12 October 2023|access-date=12 October 2023|work=Human Rights Watch|archive-date=12 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012000721/https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/14/gaza-israels-open-air-prison-15|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[Norwegian Refugee Council]].<ref name="NRC111">{{cite web|url=https://www.nrc.no/news/2018/april/gaza-the-worlds-largest-open-air-prison/|title=Gaza: The world's largest open-air prison|work=Norwegian Refugee Council|date=26 April 2018|access-date=12 October 2023|archive-date=11 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011184025/https://www.nrc.no/news/2018/april/gaza-the-worlds-largest-open-air-prison/|url-status=live}}</ref> This characterization was often cited by a number of human rights activists, politicians, and media news outlets reporting on the [[Gaza–Israel conflict]] and the wider [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]].<ref>
*{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/hell-earth-israel-unrest-spotlights-dire-conditions-gaza/story?id=103829699|title='Hell on earth': Israel unrest spotlights dire conditions in Gaza|work=abcnews|date=9 October 2023|access-date=12 October 2023|archive-date=12 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012044104/https://abcnews.go.com/International/hell-earth-israel-unrest-spotlights-dire-conditions-gaza/story?id=103829699|url-status=live}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2023/10/7/23907912/israel-palestine-conflict-history-explained-gaza-hamas|title=This Gaza war didn't come out of nowhere|work=Vox|date=7 October 2023|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=13 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013001255/https://www.vox.com/2023/10/7/23907912/israel-palestine-conflict-history-explained-gaza-hamas|url-status=live}}
*{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/12/palestinians-can-t-just-leave-gaza-during-israel-hamas-conflict/21fa3714-68b8-11ee-9753-2b3742e96987_story.html|title=No, Palestinians Can't Just Leave Gaza|newspaper=Washington Post|date=12 October 2023|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=7 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307223644/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/12/palestinians-can-t-just-leave-gaza-during-israel-hamas-conflict/21fa3714-68b8-11ee-9753-2b3742e96987_story.html|url-status=live}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/11/what-is-gaza-strip-the-besieged-palestinian-enclave-under-israeli-assault|title=What is Gaza Strip, the besieged Palestinian enclave under Israeli assault?|work=Al Jazeera|date=12 October 2023|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=12 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012232725/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/11/what-is-gaza-strip-the-besieged-palestinian-enclave-under-israeli-assault|url-status=live}}
*{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2021/05/26/gaza-no-exit-wedeman-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn|title=Analyst: Gaza becomes the biggest open-air prison on earth|work=CNN|date=12 October 2023|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=14 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014022308/https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2021/05/26/gaza-no-exit-wedeman-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TI111">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/who-lives-in-gaza-strip-control-history-map-b2429107.html|title=Gaza under siege: The 25-mile-long strip with 2.3 million 'prisoners'|work=The Independent|date=13 October 2023|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=13 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013202320/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/who-lives-in-gaza-strip-control-history-map-b2429107.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Former British Prime Minister [[David Cameron]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-10778110|title=David Cameron describes blockaded Gaza as a 'prison'|work=BBC|date=27 July 2010|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=13 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013202821/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-10778110|url-status=live}}</ref> US Senator [[Bernie Sanders]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sanders-gaza-is-open-air-prison-israel-violating-international-law-2023-10|title=Bernie Sanders says Israel is violating international law with blockade on 'open-air prison' in Gaza|work=Business Insider|date=11 October 2023|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=12 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012190735/https://www.businessinsider.com/sanders-gaza-is-open-air-prison-israel-violating-international-law-2023-10|url-status=live}}</ref> Israeli journalist [[Gideon Levy]],<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tupOEAAAQBAJ |title=The Punishment of Gaza |author=Gideon Levy |publisher=Verso Books |year=2010 |isbn=9781844676019 |access-date=30 October 2023 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030070056/https://books.google.com/books?id=tupOEAAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Israeli historian [[Ilan Pappe]] have endorsed this characterization as well.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aDA1GQAACAAJ |title=The Biggest Prison on Earth |author=Ilan Pappe |publisher=One WorldPublications Books |year=2017 |isbn=9781851685875 |access-date=30 October 2023 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030070057/https://books.google.com/books?id=aDA1GQAACAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2022, Human Rights Watch issued a report on the situation in the Gaza Strip, which it called an "open-air prison" due to the [[Blockade of the Gaza Strip|blockade]] and held Israel responsible as the occupying power, and to a lesser degree Egypt, which has restricted movement of Palestinians through its border.<ref name="HRW111"/> The report highlighted how this blockade has led to humanitarian crises, namely shortages of essential supplies, limited access to healthcare, and high levels of poverty and unemployment among the Palestinian population in Gaza.<ref name="HRW111"/> It claimed that Israel has formed a formal policy of separation between Gaza and the West Bank, despite both forming parts of the [[Palestinian territories]].<ref name="HRW111"/> The Israeli blockade on Gaza has restricted the freedom of movement of Gaza Palestinians to both the West Bank and the outside world; in particular, Palestinian professionals were most impacted by these restrictions, as applying for travel permit takes several weeks.<ref name="HRW111"/>

The Norwegian Refugee Council report issued in 2018 called the territory "the world's largest open-air prison", highlighting in it several figures, including lack of access to clean water, to reliable electrical supply, to health care, food and employment opportunities.<ref name="NRC111"/> It lamented the fact that a majority of Palestinian children in Gaza suffer from psychological trauma, and a portion of which suffer from stunted growth.<ref name="NRC111"/>