A small van passes by Ali’s garage on the outskirts of Gaza City. The loudspeakers on its roof blare out religious music and the latest news: another Hamas fighter has been killed by Israeli forces and residents are asked to attend his funeral.

The 40-year-old mechanic barely glances up as he reflects on the first anniversary of Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip. Like many Palestinians, Ali still finds it hard to fathom what happened in the weeks leading up to June 14 2007, when the Islamist group finally ousted forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority from the coastal territory.