The Gaza Strip is a densely populated stretch of land. More than 2 million people live in the territory. It has been under the control of Hamas since 2007.
Early on Saturday, Hamas militants broke through the border between Israel and Gaza, launching a massive attack that left at least 900 Israelis dead, most of them civilians, and another 2,500 wounded. The attack triggered a swift response by the Israeli military and at least 765 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip in retaliatory airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Hamas, which the U.S. classifies as a terrorist organization, has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007.
How big is the Gaza strip?The strip is about 139 square miles –that's slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C. Its border with Israel is about 36 miles and its border with Egypt is about eight miles. There are about 40 miles of coastline on the strip, but it has been blocked by the Israeli Navy since 2009 and is closed to all maritime traffic.Who lives in the Gaza Strip?The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
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