Why Gaza is a guetto?

The term "ghetto" is often used to describe Gaza due to a combination of factors that result in highly restricted movement, severe economic hardship, and a densely populated environment with inadequate resources. While not a direct historical parallel to, for example, the Warsaw Ghetto, the comparison is frequently made to highlight the dire living conditions and sense of confinement experienced by Palestinians in Gaza.

Here's why Gaza is often described as a ghetto:

• Enclosure and Blockade: The Gaza Strip is largely enclosed by a fortified perimeter, and its air and territorial waters are controlled by Israel. Egypt also maintains a blockade on its border with Gaza. This severe restriction on movement in and out of the strip effectively traps its 2.3 million residents, making it feel like an "open-air prison" to many.
• High Population Density: Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. This high density, combined with limited space and resources, exacerbates the challenges of daily life.
• Refugee Population: A significant portion of Gaza's population are descendants of Palestinian refugees who were displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Many live in crowded refugee camps within the Strip.
• Economic Collapse and Poverty: The blockade has had a devastating impact on Gaza's economy, leading to extremely high rates of unemployment (around 47% in 2021, with youth unemployment at 64%), widespread poverty, and food insecurity. Access to basic necessities like food, fuel, medicine, and water is often severely limited.
• Humanitarian Crisis: The living conditions are frequently described as "unsettling and unbearable." There are severe shortages of electricity, clean water, and proper sanitation. The healthcare system is on the verge of collapse, and many children suffer from malnutrition and lack of access to essential medical care.
• Lack of Control and Surveillance: Palestinians in Gaza have very limited control over their own lives, facing constant surveillance and military checkpoints. Fundamental aspects of daily life, such as food, water, electricity, communication, and the import/export of goods, are largely controlled by external forces.

These factors contribute to a sense of systemic deprivation, confinement, and a severe erosion of human dignity, leading many to use the term "ghetto" to convey the extreme circumstances faced by the people of Gaza.