What is life like for Palestinians in Gaza?
Even before the most recent war, Gaza was an extremely difficult place to live. There is no doubt that the long Israeli and Egyptian blockades and Israeli airstrikes have brought misery into Gaza. But the root of all of its problems lies in its corrupt, totalitarian, fundamentalist government.
Today, many Palestinians look back at the 80s with something like nostalgia. There is no denying that Palestinians in Gaza experienced far greater upward mobility and freedom of movement in the 1980s than they do today.
In 2006 legislative election the majority of Palestinians voted for Hamas. It won because Palestinians were sick and tired of Fatah’s legendary corruption. But if Gazans were hoping for a better future under Hamas, they were severely misled.
“Gaza has been in the news lately and the broadcasts aren’t pretty. Thousands of civilians have been killed, thousands more have fled their homes. Even before this most recent war Gaza was a difficult place to live. And that’s the understatement of the century.
So, let’s talk about it. What’s it like to live in Gaza.
Look, I’m not Palestinian and I don’t live in Gaza, but today you will hear from people who do. And their perspective isn’t what you might expect.”
- Hamas was never interested in bettering Gaza. Its only goals were: staying in power, getting rich and terrorizing the population of Israel. The exploitation of its own people came as a price.
- The average Gazan lives on less than $13 a day and lacks sufficient water, electricity, sanitation facilities and food. They have no bomb shelters, nowhere to run. Gazans see exactly what Hamas chooses to do with the money and supplies that enter their home, and they’re sick of it.
- Hamas’ Terrorists who poured on Israel on October 7th, had plenty of practice killing civilians, because they’ve done it to their own people. The history of Hamas rule includes executions of political opponents and brutal suppression of protests.
- Like other corrupt autocracies, it has very little tolerance for free speech or criticism.
- Hamas dictates rules of behavior in society and personal life.
- There are very strict rules for women – the authorities control what they wear, where they go or who they answer to. They aren’t allowed on the bikes and scooters.
- Armed Hamas operatives violently enforce dress codes.
- Polygamy is strongly encouraged.
- LGBTQ Palestinians have to live in secret and constant fear.
- In 2007, Gaza was home to roughly 3,500 Christians. Since then, more than 2/3 have fled.
- The Israeli government has promised that the war will continue until Hamas surrenders or is destroyed. But what happens the day after the war if Hamas is finally toppled?
- Some young Palestinians have ideas. They want a government that protects freedom of or from religion. They wanna live in peace with their neighbors. Above all, they just want to live. And it is a tragedy that their leaders are too attached to their own power, corruption and violence to let this dream of normal and decent life come true.
December 24, 2023
Monitoring groups in the Gaza Strip report that Hamas militants opened fire several times throughout the day on people gathered near humanitarian aid trucks. A teenager was killed in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah.
In Khan Younis, Hamas militants armed with bats beat a man who came to collect humanitarian aid.
Gaza Report, a blog of the monitoring group Gaza Report, reports that in Rafah, shooting at people led to riots and clashes with militants. A crowd set fire to a police station.
“Unpacked“
