Gaza Strip

Why in news?

• On October 7, 2023, Hamas leader Mohammed Deif announced the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a large-scale offensive against Israel. This sparked the worst flare-up in the Israel-Palestine conflict in recent years. Israel declared a state of war in response and asked Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip. India also launched Operation Ajay to help Indian nationals evacuate from Israel.

About Palestine

• Palestine is a de jure sovereign state in Western Asia claiming the West Bank and Gaza Strip with Jerusalem as the designated capital, although its administrative center is currently located in Ramallah.
• The State of Palestine is recognized by 138 UN members and since 2012 has a status of a non-member observer state in the United Nations.
• Palestine is a member of the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the G77, the International Olympic Committee, and other international bodies.

About Gaza strip

• The Gaza Strip or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Sinai Peninsula of Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north. 
• The territories of Gaza and the West Bank are separated from each other by Israeli territory. 
• Both fell under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, but the strip has since 2007 been governed by Hamas, Palestinian fundamentalist militant Islamic organization.
• Due to the Israeli and Egyptian border closures and the Israeli sea and air blockade, the population is not free to leave or enter the Gaza Strip, nor allowed to freely import or export goods. 

About West Bank

• The West Bank is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia.
• It is bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel on the south, west and north. 
• It also contains a significant section of the western Dead Sea shore.

Add ons

• Golan Heights is another major disputed territory of the region in the Northeast Israel, bordering with Syria.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Which among the following nations shares boundary with Israel?

1. 1. Lebanon
   2. Iraq
   3. Saudi Arabia
   4. Egypt

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 2 and 4 only

Answer