Stating the Obvious

What happens when you watch a genocidal terrorist group overrun a decrepit piece of land that no one in their right mind ever wanted to deal with and destroyed what vestiges of agricultural development provided by charitable groups?

This.

Eighty percent of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip think their economic situation has deteriorated since Hamas took over the area two months ago, according to a poll released Tuesday.

The survey of 400 people by the Near East Consulting firm also found that 70 percent of Gazans live in poverty, pollster Jamil Rabah said. The poverty level in Gaza is 2,000 shekels a month for a family of two adults and four children, he said.

"All indicators show that there is a lack of investment and people are less likely to spend money," Rabah said. "Economic activity will deteriorate further."

There were no comparative figures predating the takeover because previous polls related to both Gaza and the West Bank. Rival governments emerged in the two Palestinian areas after Hamas wrested control of Gaza from Fatah security forces in mid-June.

Gaza has been poorly run by the Palestinians, ever since they were able to administer it in 1993 under Oslo. The Palestinian Authority ran it into the ground, despite its proximity to the Med, tourism possibilities if they bothered to lay down their arms against Israel, and take up banking or other productive enterprises.

Hamas has instead focused on fighting Israel to the last breath, and the Gazans are living in hell as a result. Hamas doesn't mind if other terrorist groups operate in Gaza either (just as long as it isn't Fatah). Indeed, Islamic Jihad has been quite active in firing rockets and mortars into Israel, which has fired back with vigor.

10 Palestinians were reported killed and 14 wounded Tuesday as IDF troops, backed up by aircraft, intensified their operations in the southern Gaza Strip in order to root out Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives.

Troops faced severe resistance during the operations in Khan Yunis as they came heavy under fire and a grenade was hurled at a tank. The soldiers fired back at the attackers.

Also during the operations, troops discovered bombs and explosive belts and dozens of Palestinians were arrested and transferred to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) for questioning.

If you want to know why the situation in Gaza is so dire, look no further than at who is leading Gaza.

Terrorists. And all they do is pay lip service to social concerns as they use all their efforts to fight Israel. Those who are unable to escape Gaza have no where else to go. They're the ones who are stuck in the middle, and yet they're not entirely innocent either as many voted for Hamas in the elections a few years back because they were sick of the corruption of Fatah. Well, they've got the government they wanted - a bunch of terrorists who are living up to their word - fighting Israel and bringing misery on everyone they come in contact with.