U.N.: Gaza at the Breaking Point

Sealed borders, regular military incursions and poor quality of life have brought Gaza to the breaking point, a U.N. official has said. Karen Abuzayd, head of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, also warned that current tactics for dealing with Gaza have failed to inspire a spirit of compromise among Palestinians, and instead foster anger and resentment.

Ms Abuzayd said that Gaza was becoming increasingly isolated by financial sanctions, the Israeli siege of the territory and daily targeted killings.

“It would be great to have an international presence, civilian, military, whatever,” she said, adding that an international force of peacekeepers could offer Gaza’s 1.5m people some protection.

“The strangulation of commerce and trade has ruined the economy, it has brought the institutions of government to a point of near-meltdown and badly shaken the society,” she said.

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