Gazans Suffers in Wake Of Egypt Revolt, Still Express Solidarity

ISM Blog - As all eyes of the world are on the Egyptian protesters struggling to oust Hosni Mubarak from power, residents of the Gaza Strip are struggling to cope with the ripple effects. With the border between the two abandoned and sealed shut, fuel is imports have been cut off, and hundreds of people cannot reach medical care, separated family members or school. Meanwhile, Gazan youth who see the protesters in Egypt and Tunisia as role models are being arrested by the Hamas government, which is clearly fearful of any similar demonstration of independence and anger.

With insecurity and violence rampant across Egypt, including its southern region along the border, workers who normally smuggle the fuel used to power cars, generators and other equipment into the Gaza Strip fled to their homes or to fight Egyptian forces, cutting the 1.8 million Palestinians off from their main supply of energy. Merchants and tunnellers said the pace of smuggling of fuel and other materials reached its lowest level on Jan. 29, as clashes between Egyptian residents of north Sinai and security forces intensified.....
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