Israel controls the Gaza strip's airspace and offshore maritime access. The Strip itself and its population is under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, which also operates the Strip's Rafah Border Crossing into Egypt under European Union supervision. The crossing has been closed sporadically due to Israeli demands since June 2006, after a series of attacks by Palestinian militants were launched against Israel.

Israel maintains that its occupation of Gaza ended with the unilateral withdrawal. The Palestinian Authority and some legal and human rights experts hold that the occupation is still in force due to Israel's continued and complete control of the Strip.

Gaza's population is composed almost entirely of Muslims, though it also has a small Christian community. A massive influx of Palestinian refugees swelled Gaza's population after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. By 1967, the population had grown to about six times its 1948 size. The city's population has continued to increase since that time, and poverty, unemployment, and poor living conditions are widespread. Gaza has serious deficiencies in housing, educational facilities, health facilities, infrastructure, and an inadequate sewage system, all of which have contributed to serious hygiene and public health problems. As in the rest of the Palestinian territories, the birth rate is extremely high. The vast majority of Palestinians in Gaza live in poverty (less than 2$ per day), and rely on United Nations food aid to survive.