Isn’t Gaza’s suffering because of Hamas, not Israel?

9. Isn’t Gaza’s suffering because of Hamas, not Israel?

No.

For all the wild characterizations of Hamas by Israeli propagandists, Western politicians, and mainstream media pundits, it is a political party and organization that was elected into power in Gaza during the last round of elections in 2006.¹ Since then, it has held power in Gaza and also gained in popularity in the West Bank², particularly as the party is seen as an oppositional force or alternative to the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority, which collaborates deeply with Israel in many ways including security coordination.³ Hamas is not a foreign entity or body distinct from the Palestinian people — it is a political party that was founded by Palestinians and is run by Palestinians.⁴ The notion that Hamas is somehow both ubiquitous across Gaza AND a foreign government preventing Palestinians in Gaza from meeting their basic needs is entirely nonsensical, particularly in light of the reality that there is an actual foreign government imprisoning Palestinians in Gaza and preventing them from meeting their basic needs.

Israel has not only built a wall around the Gaza Strip, creating a large concentration camp across this narrow strip of land, but has also imposed a land, air, and sea blockade against the 2.3 million people there since Hamas’ success in the 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council elections.⁵ This blockade works to isolate Palestinians in Gaza from the rest of their communities, making it very difficult to enter and exit, preventing students from attending West Bank universities, and also creating measures that make it almost impossible for people to receive life-saving healthcare they need outside of Gaza. Furthermore, the blockade has limited the import of food, medicine, and basic supplies, disallowing an absurd number of mundane objects.^{6 7} The blockade is also compounded by Israel’s regular bombing campaigns against the entrapped population of Palestinians in Gaza, destroying essential infrastructure, farming land, homes, and more.

Notes