As of 2005, the Israeli government removed all its settlements within the Gaza Strip under their unilateral disengagement plan. The following year, Hamas won legislative elections held in the Palestinian territories. After an internal conflict of power within the Palestinian political groups, Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, while The West Bank was lead by Fatah.
From 2008 onwards, in response to rocket attacks from Palestinian militants, Israel began its blockade of Gaza, causing the movements of goods and people from and into the Gaza Strip to be very restricted ever since.