Are Palestinians in Gaza healthier and safer than they were a year ago?
No. The Palestinians of the Gaza Strip have suffered serious deterioration in nutrition, health, and psychological well-being, particularly since the international blockade against the Palestinian Authority. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 70% of Gaza families are now dependent on aid to meet daily food needs. (5) Since the electoral victory of Hamas in January 2006, tensions between Hamas supporters and members of the former ruling party, Fateh, have heightened, occasionally leading to armed clashes. Approximately 100 Palestinians have been killed over the last year in internal violence. Some members of the security services – which had been stacked by Fateh with its own supporters – have resorted to kidnappings in an attempt to coerce payment of their salaries. Israel has continued its policy of “targeted killings” – assassinations of those it deems members of Palestinian armed groups. The killings typically are by air attack, employing missiles
