Gaza airport destroyed by scavengers

Gaza's international aiport once dealt with 700,000 passengers every year and operated 24 hours and 364 days a year, closing only on Yom Kippur. The $86 million airport opened in 1998, but closed three years after being severely damaged by Israeli military forces. Now, hundreds of Palestinians have taken over the old landing strip of the airport, digging up the tarmac and taking piles of stones to sell as construction material. Under Israel's siege, only limited amounts of construction materials are allowed in for United Nations projects. So as a result, a booming black-market has emerged. Four years ago, a ton of sand sold for sixty dollars, whereas today, it sells for six hundred. Israel has been bombing the airport for ten years and now Palestinians are destroying what's left, and say they have no choice.