<h3 class="post-title subpt">On the anniversary of the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza, Katleen Maes, Head of the Gaza Sub-Office of OCHA and Tania Hary, Deputy Director of Gisha, answer your questions on Gaza.</h3><div class="quoteblock"><div class="quotetext"></div></div><p><em>Why is it taking so long for Gaza to be rebuilt?</em></p>
<p><em>Is there any real potential for lifting the eight-year blockade of Gaza?</em></p>
<p><em>Can Gaza be politically and economically reunited with the rest of Palestine (the West Bank and East Jerusalem)?</em></p>
<p>Wednesday 26 August marks one year since the ceasefire that brought an end to the Israel-Gaza conflict of summer 2014. Despite the goodwill and efforts of many, too little has been done to improve conditions in Gaza and rebuild the devastated territory.</p>
<p>The Elders team have asked two locally based experts, Katleen Maes and Tania Hary, to answer your questions as a way of marking the first anniversary of the ceasefire, and to highlight the progress that still needs to be made. Their answers to your questions will be published on our website on 26 August. <strong>If you want to know more about the issues, post your question to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theElders">Facebook</a&gt; page by Wednesday 19 August</strong>. Now is your chance to engage with experts on the ground and learn more about Gaza one year on from the ceasefire.</p>
<p><strong>Katleen Maes and Tania Hary<br /></strong>During their trip to Israel and Palestine <strong><a href="http://theelders.org/article/pursuit-peace-elders-visit-israel-and-pale… this year</a></strong>, two of The Elders, President Carter and Prime Minister Brundtland, were briefed in Jerusalem by Katleen and Tania on the situation in Gaza, and were impressed by the depth of their knowledge and expertise.</p>
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<p><em>Katleen Maes is the Head of the Gaza Sub-Office of <strong><a href="http://www.unocha.org/">OCHA</a></strong&gt;, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Katleen has worked for </em><em>UN OCHA (Palestinian Territory) for three years, and previously for the Norwegian Refugee Council and Handicap International.</em></p>
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<p><em>Tania Hary is Deputy Director of <a href="http://gisha.org/"><strong>Gisha</strong></a&gt;, an Israeli NGO whose goal is to protect the freedom of movement of Palestinians, especially Gaza residents. Before joining Gisha, Tania worked for not-for-profit organisations promoting human rights in Iran, children’s rights in Argentina and the rights of refugees.</em></p>
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