GAZA CITY

The quality of life, the economy and food security for Palestinians living in Gaza have been severely impaired by Israel’s strict four-year blockade, according to the UN.







Israel says its closure regime is designed to protect Israeli citizens from attacks by militants in Gaza. Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, says Israel's blockade is aimed at undermining its rule.







IRIN asked three senior officials in the region - from the UN, the Israeli government and Hamas - what they considered to be the top five humanitarian needs of the 1.5 million Palestinians living in the Strip.







UN view







Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs (OCHA) for the occupied Palestinian territory, defines the situation in Gaza as “a protracted human dignity crisis with important humanitarian elements”.









Hamas view





Israeli view