“Gaza” means “strength” in Arabic. About 1.7 million of the 2.2 million people in Gaza are refugees from the war that established Israel in 1948. Gazans call this displacement the Nakba, or “the catastrophe.”
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 others back to Gaza as hostages. Since then, Isreal has killed over 70,000 Palestinians.
Palestinians, who are in the U.S. either temporarily or as immigrants, face challenges. The U.S. does not recognize “Palestine” as a country and Gazans are considered stateless. Asylum seekers from Gaza fear both Hamas and Israel. In August 2025, the U.S. suspended visas for Gaza residents and restricted Palestinian asylum cases. B1/B2 visitor visas, do permit Palestinians to seek medical treatment in the US.
During the war, mass evacuation and airstrikes have driven more than 90 percent of the population from their homes according to the U.N. Almost all of Gaza’s cropland is damaged, fishing vessels have been destroyed, and livestock killed according to the U.N. (Oct 2025). Gaza has 80% unemployment, and 50% poverty. As of September, at least 460 people are confirmed to have died of starvation according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Notably in 2019 the Gaza Strip had 97% literacy, one of the highest literacy rates in the world, according to U.N. figures. Now, 92% of schools have been destroyed.
Before the war, Gaza had a robust health care system, according to Doctors Without Borders. Oct 2025. Now 94 percent of hospitals are damaged or destroyed and more than 1,700 health workers have been killed
On Oct. 10, 2025 a fragile peace treaty between Hammas and Israel includes return of 20 living Israeli hostages, 2000 Palestinian prisoners, partial Israeli troop withdrawal, eventual technocratic Palestinian rule, the beginning of food and health aid, destruction of Hammas, demilitarization of Hammas and international peacekeeping forces.
Jean Kigel Studio + Gallery 