Israel imposed a blockade on the movement of goods and people in and out of the Gaza Strip when Hamas took it over in 2007. The UN's Palmer Report found that Israel's blockade of Gaza was both "legal and appropriate."The sole purpose of the blockade was to prevent Iran and other nations from smuggling rockets and other weapons into the Gaza Strip. Historically Iran has smuggled advanced weapons to Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza on ships. These weapons allow Hamas to launch rocket attacks against Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other Israeli population centers.
The naval blockade intensified after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel and the war that ensued.
Israel's land crossings ensure that all commercial and humanitarian goods can enter Gaza.
While Hamas fires rockets at Israeli civilians, the Israeli government is working with the international community to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
- Even amid military operations in Gaza, Israel continues to provide humanitarian aid to assist Palestinian civilians in the area.
- Egypt, however, would not allow humanitarianaid into Gaza during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge.
- Hamas is largely to blame for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and prohibits any criticism from Gazan residents.
Additional Resources
- Is Israel Using Famine as a Weapon of War? (article)
- Israel-Hamas War(FAQ)
- Was Gaza an Open-Air Prison?(article)
- Is Zionism "Settler Colonialism"?(article)
- The Double Standards of the Gaza War (article)
- U.S. Relations with Israel(US gov article)
- Israel-U.S. Relationship (US gov article)
- History of U.S. Relations with Israel(US gov article)
- U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel(Congressional Research Service PDF, updated March 1, 2023)
- Israel's Exceptional Security Partnership with Washington(Security Assistance PDF, June 2021)
- How Americans View Israel, Netanyahu, and US-Israel Relations in 5 Charts(August 2023)
