Palestinians in Gaza rally to end Israel’s years-long siege

GAZA CITY, Palestine

Scores of Palestinians staged a protest in Gaza City on Saturday to demand an end to Israel’s years-long blockade.

Protesters waved banners calling for the reopening of Gaza ports during the protest organized by the International Campaign to Break the Gaza Siege group, according to an Anadolu reporter.

“The ports in all world countries represent freedom and access to the outside world,” Salameh Maarouf, head of Hamas-run Government Media Office, said during the protest.

“However, the Palestinians in Gaza are deprived of these rights,” Maarouf added.

The Palestinian official called on the international community “to work to end the Gaza blockade.”

“The Israeli siege on Gaza has destroyed livelihood in the strip, and has taken its toll on the health, economic, industrial and fishing sectors,” he added.

Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has groaned under a crippling Israeli blockade that has deprived its roughly 2.3 million inhabitants of many vital commodities, including food, fuel and medicine.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi