e. The proposed date for a permanent
status agreement has been postponed indefinitely due to violence and
accusations that both sides have not followed through on their
commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in
late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A
month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh
Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In
September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and
dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and four
northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls
maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November
2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah
border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and
Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement,
HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The
international community has refused to accept the HAMAS-led
government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce
violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between
Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President Abbas has had little
success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform
acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic
siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as
a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and
Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Israel

Geographic coordinates:
31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 360 sq km
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:
40 km

Maritime claims:
Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation

Climate:
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources