The Palestinian territory is rebuilding and daily life is recovering, but Gaza is far from back to normal
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In 2005, after Hamas won parliamentary elections in Gaza, Israel imposed an economic blockade by sealing its borders to all but a small amount of goods. Israel argues that it is punishing Hamas, a terrorist organization. Palestinians say it's a form of collective punishment.
The economic blockade has eased somewhat since May 2010 when Israel came under international pressure for its attack on a flotilla of Turkish boats bringing aid to Gaza. Today Gazans survive, but life is hardly normal.
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Reese Erlich, a freelance reporter and the author of several books, has covered the Middle East for 25 years.