Gaza–Israel barrier
| Blockade of the Gaza Strip |
|---|
| Crossings |
| 2004–2009 |
| 2010–2022 |
| 2023–present |
| Groups involved |
The Gaza–Israel barrier (sometimes called the Iron Wall) is a border barrier located on the Israeli side of the Gaza–Israel border. Before the Gaza war, the Erez Crossing, in the north of the Gaza Strip, was the only crossing point for people and goods coming from Israel into the Gaza Strip. A second crossing point, the Kerem Shalom border crossing, is used exclusively for goods coming from Egypt as Israel did not allow goods to go directly from Egypt into Gaza through the Egypt–Gaza border, except for the Salah Al Din Gate, which opened in 2018.
A fence along the border was first constructed by Israel in 1971 as a security barrier, and has been rebuilt and upgraded since. It was constructed by Israel to control the movement of people as well as goods between the Gaza Strip and Israel, which it could not achieve by normal border crossings.
There is also one crossing along the Egypt–Gaza border, the Rafah Crossing, which is limited to the crossing of people; as per Israel's demand, any cargo or goods that are to enter Gaza must go through Israel, usually through the Kerem Shalom border crossing.