![A Palestinian boy stands behind a fence as he waits for his relatives to return to Gaza from Egypt through Rafah border crossing, after it was opened by Egyptian authorities on Wednesday for two days for the first time in three months, in the southern Gaza Strip May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX2E34K](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/06/RTX2E34K.jpg/RTX2E34K.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=Kpw5fuks)
Asmaa al-Ghoul is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Palestine Pulse and a journalist from the Rafah refugee camp based in Gaza.
![A Palestinian boy stands behind a fence as he waits for his relatives to return to Gaza from Egypt through Rafah border crossing, after it was opened by Egyptian authorities on Wednesday for two days for the first time in three months, in the southern Gaza Strip May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX2E34K](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/06/RTX2E34K.jpg/RTX2E34K.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=Kpw5fuks)
![lighthouse_gaza.png](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/06/lighthouse_gaza.png/lighthouse_gaza.png?h=f7822858&itok=cWuh-WAl)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![RTX2AI05.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/06/RTX2AI05.jpg/RTX2AI05.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=l3jEnAs6)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![A Palestinian militant stands guard during an anti-Israeli rally organized by Islamic Jihad movement in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip October 24, 2013. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX14MO0](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/06/RTX14MO0.jpg/RTX14MO0.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=_ihR_Rg5)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![_MG_4676.jpeg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/05/_MG_4676.jpeg/_MG_4676.jpeg?h=1ddeb92a&itok=vRCEGtgV)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![foodtruckgaza.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/05/foodtruckgaza.jpg/foodtruckgaza.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=qwmOTwNQ)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![RTR43V6L.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/04/RTR43V6L.jpg/RTR43V6L.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=BeUfM2dQ)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![1.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/04/1.jpg/1.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=uwdO01kL)
![Asmaa al-Ghoul](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2016/asmaaalghoul.jpg/asmaaalghoul.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=zoLMHrdv)
Asmaa al-Ghoul
![Palestinian boys sit on a fence as they watch a Hamas rally in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip January 7, 2016. The rally, organized by Hamas movement, was held to honor the families of dead Hamas militants, who Hamas's armed wing said participated in imprisoning Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, organizers said. Shalt was abducted by militants in a cross-border raid in 2006, and was released in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem - RTX21FR7](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/04/RTX21FR7.jpg/RTX21FR7.jpg?h=f3a6b8b7&itok=FyunzCnn)
![Asmaa al-Ghoul](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2016/asmaaalghoul.jpg/asmaaalghoul.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=zoLMHrdv)
Asmaa al-Ghoul
![RAFAH, GAZA STRIP - AUGUST 16: Ahmed Youssef, an adviser to Ismail Haniya of Hamas, the dismissed Palestinian prime minister speaks as he sits at his home August 16, 2007 in Rafah, southern of the Gaza Strip. Today, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued an executive decree convicting any one who joins the administrative forces or militia of the rival Hamas movement. (Photo by Abid Katib/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ahmed Youssef](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/03/76137205.jpg/76137205.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=zD2fBADA)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![85986717.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/03/85986717.jpg/85986717.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=mr6_8jLZ)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul
![RTSTR1.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/02/RTSTR1.jpg/RTSTR1.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=Wfb0I_WA)
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Asmaa al-Ghoul