Gazans see no end to Israeli occupation

"We had the withdrawal, but we don't have freedom. It is now clear, one year after the departure of Israeli forces, that the occupation is continuing," journalist and political analyst Hani Habib told AFP.

"Israel still exercises total control over all aspects of (Gaza) inhabitants' lives."

At midnight on August 15, 2005, Israel began withdrawing 8,000 Jewish settlers and thousands of troops from the impoverished strip of land, the beginning of the end of the Jewish state's 38-year occupation.

"Israel portrayed this withdrawal as the Palestinians recovering their freedom and independence, but since the first day, the Gaza Strip has remained under occupation," said lawyer and rights activist Younes al-Jaru.

"Many Palestinians hoped Gaza would become the embryo for an independent Palestinian state, but this hope has disappeared because of Palestinian leaders' inability to build (a state) and continued Israeli offensives," said Habib.

Since June 28, the Gaza Strip has been living and dying under the bombs, shells and missiles of an Israeli offensive that has killed 172 Palestinians, mostly civilians, launched after militants captured two Israeli troops.

Since then, the sealing off of the tiny, densely-populated territory has been almost hermetic. The only crossing point to the outside world, to Egypt in the southern town of Rafah, has been closed almost non-stop.

"Today the Gaza Strip is like a giant prison where it is impossible to leave or enter without Israeli authorisation," said lawyer Jaru.

The situation has been worsened by economic sanctions imposed on the Palestinian government in the wake of Islamist faction Hamas's election victory in January, he said.

Israel, the United States and the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist organisation because of its refusal to lay down arms or recognise Israel, leading to the suspension of much foreign aid to the Palestinians.