A year ago, a 22 day Israeli military offensive known as Operation Cast Lead left much of Gaza in ruins. More than 1200 Palestinians were killed and an estimated 4,000 homes were destroyed, with tens of thousands of Palestinians left homeless. At least 80 government buildings were also destroyed, and HAMAS, the ruling party in Gaza since a 2007 takeover was crippled by a wave of devastating air strikes that began the operation on Dec 27, 2008.
A year later, Palestinians across the tiny strip continue to struggle daily in various ways economically, physically, and emotionally.
These photos are an attempt to reflect the ways in which Gaza Palestinians, their economy, and HAMAS leadership have been able to recover.