President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel and occupied Palestinian territory went as poorly as most people here in Gaza anticipated. As far as we can tell, he ignored us. I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies, but at some point the US and Israel would be well advised to devise a better policy than to squeeze the life out of us.

For all the talk about Trump’s business acumen, he had nothing to offer Gaza’s devastated economy. Rather than offering hope — both economic and political – his silence regarding Gaza suggests he is content with an Israeli-led status quo that punishes the people of Gaza.

But throttling Gaza is a recipe for further war. Palestinians have endured three since December 2008 and would much prefer political and economic freedom from our Israeli occupier to yet another war.

Yes, Israeli military forces and settlers left here in 2005, but for all intents and purposes Israel controls us still. Israel controls exits by sea and air. Land routes to our compatriots in the West Bank – and in Israel itself with 20 percent of the population being Palestinian — are blocked by Israel. Egypt, at the behest of Israel and the US, blocks egress via the Sinai land route.