Palestinian laborours work to construct new houses in a project funded by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Rafah, in the southern of Gaza Strip on December 5, 2011. Israel maintains a tight blockade on the Palestinian territory building into Gaza since Islamist Hamas took control over the Palestinian territory in 2007 but supplies may only be brought by recognised international organisations managing specifically approved projects. Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib