The ten-year-long political dispute between Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, along with the Israeli-imposed blockade and repeated outbreaks of hostilities, continue to severely disrupt the provision of basic services in Gaza, including those provided by Gaza’s 25 municipalities. These municipalities face profound challenges in meeting their responsibilities to a population approaching two million, crammed into one of the most densely populated and confined areas in the world.
Municipalities are mandated to provide 27 direct, regulatory and supervisory functions, including the provision and management of basic services in the fields of public hygiene, infrastructure maintenance and environment, and at times of natural or man-made disasters.[11] Prior to 2007, municipalities were largely able to finance these services from local revenues, including building permits, household waste, water and sanitation charges, parking fees, and market and slaughterhouse licences.
