Word: gaza
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...first organized Palestinian uprising or "intifada" against Israeli rule came from a refugee camp in northern Gaza in 1987 and quickly spread across the region. During the revolt, which brought international attention to the Palestinian cause, the political party known as Hamas was created as a Palestinian extension of the popular Muslim Brotherhood Organization that had already swept through Egypt and much of the Arab world. Hamas gained momentum in the occupied region, especially in Gaza, by establishing educational and social programs for disenfranchised Palestinians, but drew international condemnation for its tactics of rebellion against Israel, including terror attacks...
...when it won 74 out of 132 seats in a result that shocked Israeli and Western observers. Fatah's refusal to relinquish control following the election forced an explosive week-long showdown between western-backed Fatah forces and Hamas; the infighting culminated the expulsion of Fatah security forces from Gaza and a de facto divide of the territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority between the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which remained under Fatah control...
...Following the battle, Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza in an attempt to strangle the strip's economy and undermine Hamas' abilty to govern. Human rights groups say the blockade, which prevents Gazans from leaving and goods and aid from entering, has caused a serious humanitarian crisis in the area. Hamas has responded to the siege by regularly raining rockets into southern Israeli towns from Gaza. Despite mutual agreement in June 2008 to a 6-month ceasefire, Israel continued their blockade of Gaza and Hamas responded with sporadic mortar hits. After the expiration of the truce on December...
...pictures of life under Hamas in Gaza...
...first time since Israel began its bloody offensive on Gaza 12 days ago, the first frail signs appeared on Wednesday that an end to fighting that has left nearly 700 Palestinians dead may be near. Although details remain hazy about the Franco-Egyptian peace proposal that's serving as the basis of a possible truce, the initiative appears to have helped inspire Wednesday's minor miracle of a three-hour cease-fire in Gaza to allow aid workers access to what is being described as a humanitarian calamity there...