GAZA CITY - Gaza marked the first anniversary of the start of Israel’s historic pullout from the coastal strip Tuesday amid bitterness that the end of the Jewish settlements did not bring an end to occupation and bloodshed. At midnight on August 15, 2005, Israel began withdrawing 8,000 Jewish settlers and thousands of troops from Gaza, the start of a month-long operation to end the Jewish state’s 38-year occupation. But a year later residents in the impoverished strip continue to die from Israeli fire, the economy is in shambles and the mood is grim.“They say they withdrew, but the occupation is going on in Gaza,” said Abu Yasser, 50, a shop owner in Gaza City. “They’re still everywhere and the killing and the shelling is continuing despite the withdrawal.” Immediately following the pullout last year, hope was high in both Gaza and Israel that the move would mark a major step toward a Palestinian state on the one hand, and security for Israel on the other. But the optimism was short-lived.
For Palestinians, Israel still tightly controlled the borders of the territory and the army continued to carry out raids targetting militants in the strip, strikes that often left civilians dead.