Ever since the Hamas military takeover of Gaza in June, the territory has been subjected to an economic siege. Israel labelled the Hamas-controlled Gaza a "hostile entity". The Islamist movement refuses to recognise Israel arguing that it is an illegitimate state.
Israel intensified the siege last week, saying the move was in response to heavy rocket fire from Gaza into Israel. Nowadays, Gaza is a territory where the economy has collapsed, power shortages are a daily occurrence, and Israeli air strikes are common.But how is Hamas faring under this pressure?
One of its leaders, Mahmoud Zahhar, insists that Hamas - which won the Palestinian legislative elections in 2006 - does not need to change its course.
"We are giving all efforts to run a real administration," he told the BBC news website. "We are ready to continue for years."
Tuesday, 22 January 2008,
