After Hamas’ takeover of Gaza in 2007, Israel, along with cooperation from Egypt and the Palestinian Authority (PA), initiated a heightened land, air and sea blockade of the Gaza Strip, at times closing all border crossings. Israel states that its blockade is for security, restricting the entry of goods that can also be employed for military use and thus lessening rocket attacks into southern Israel and eventually weakening the Hamas government. Egypt kept its border with Gaza closed until May 2011, except for a brief period in 2008 when Palestinians broke through the Egyptian-Gazan border fence. The PA has quietly supported the blockade as a way to weaken Hamas. Many Palestinians and others claim that the blockade has starved Gazans, escalated tensions and, therefore, violence toward Israel, and broken international humanitarian law. The blockade has led to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with the United Nations reporting that 61% of Gazans are “food insecure” and 80% of Gazan households rely on some kind of food aid. The economy, education and medical care in general have worsened. For an Israeli government perspective, see Fendel, Hillel. “Foreign Min. Legal Expert Explains Gaza Blockade.” Arutz Sheva. 27 May 2010. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137728. For a criticism of the blockade, see Gaza Flotilla and Levy, Gideon. The Punishment of Gaza. New York: Verso, 2010.  For information on the effects of the blockade, see “Guide: Gaza under blockade.” BBC. 6 July 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7545636.stm.  http://www.justvision.org/glossary/gaza-blockade