Hamas brought poverty and violence to Gaza long before its attacks on Israelis on October 7. The poverty has been the result of two developments. First, there is the colossal corruption, which began as soon as Hamas won an election in 2006, and then took full control over the Strip in 2007, having killed or chased out hundreds of members of Fatah. That corruption at the top allowed the three most senior Hamas leaders — Khaled Meshaal, Mousa abu Marzouk, and Ismail Haniyeh — to appropriate for themselves a total of eleven billion dollars that donors had intended for the people of Gaza. Second, Hamas chose to spend other billions of dollars not on the welfare of Gazans, but rather, on a vast network of underground tunnels, that were enormously expensive to build, where Hamas could hide and transport underground both men and weapons. More than 800 of these tunnels have been uncovered so far; the IDF now believes the network includes 300 miles of these tunnels. The total spent on them is at least $3-$4 billion, money that might have been spent to create jobs in Gaza, instead of these tunnels that are now being systematically reduced to rubble by the IDF.
Now the Gaza war, that Hamas started with the atrocities it carried out on October 7, has resulted in further economic losses to the Strip. More can be found here: “The Palestinian economy has lost billions since October 7, yet no one is protesting for Hamas to return the captives,” Elder of Ziyon, December 29, 2023:
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics issued a report showing the economic costs to Palestinians of the Gaza war, in both Gaza and the West Bank, through the end of November.
During the war, Israel has not allowed Palestinian workers into Israel. It has also not allowed Israeli Arabs to go to the PA-controlled areas of the West Bank, where they would often shop and obtain services at a lower price than they could get in Israel.
Israel, quite understandably, halted the guest-worker program for 20,000 Gazans who, before October 7, were allowed into Israel to work, and were able to earn three to five times as much as they could in Gaza. It is now clear, according to Israeli authorities, that some of those workers from Gaza collected intelligence on the kibbutzim that were later attacked. At the same time, 100,000 Palestinians living in the West Bank who had been working in Israel and the settlements also saw their work permits withdrawn. And Israeli Arabs, no longer able to travel to the Palestinian-controlled parts of the West Bank, where they used to shop in stores where goods were cheaper than in Israel, have also paid a price for the Hamas attacks, and Israel’s response to them.
As a result, the Palestinian private sector lost about $1.45 billion compared to what would have been expected in October and November. It is losing about $25 million a day.
This is not including direct losses from the war of property damage.
Tens of billions of dollars in damage have been the result of the IDF’s relentless campaign to destroy Hamas’ weapons in their hideouts, its command-and-control centers, its rocket launchers, its 300 miles of tunnels dug deep underground, and the buildings — including apartment buildings, schools and pre-schools, mosques, stores — where Hamas combatants have been deliberately hiding among the civilians it uses as human shields.
Productivity in the West Bank has gone down by roughly half, which shows how dependent the Palestinian economy is on Israel. In Gaza, predictably, productivity has been slashed some 86%, The only sectors doing well in Gaza are humanitarian aid and health.
So the “health sector” is doing well. How can this be? The media keeps telling us that the “medical system in Gaza is near collapse.” Which is it? “Near collapse” or “doing well”?
Yet there are no protests in the West Bank demanding that Hamas end the war. Zero.
Far from deploring the Hamas atrocities visited upon Israelis on October 7, that have also brought much misery to the people of Gaza, the Palestinians in Gaza are now much more supportive of Hamas. Before October 7, 67% of people in Gaza were opposed to continued rule by Hamas. After October 7, 62% now say they support Hamas — an astonishing reversal of fortune for the terror group.
Frank Anderson says
In all my reading of more than 30 books and discussing Islam since 2008, I have never seen any sigh that followers have the least knowledge or concern of the cost of their slaughter. Cost accounting is not one of their favorite subjects.
Frank Anderson says
If costs mattered, why would we see suicide attacks? Because Islam teaches the purpose of life is death. If life is not worth living, what are other costs in comparison?
Mike says
The Palestinians should have thought about the out come before they started
I’m bad Muslims don’t think they think they are better then everyone else
NOT
VMS says
Poor poor Muzzies. Allah has abandoned their cause. The situation for the Palis is a lot worse than the article makes it out. In Gaza, there will be major problems for years; the area will be devoid of infrastructure for years to come and food and potable water will be scarce. And the “West Bank” will be sitting in poverty because the Palis that had good jobs in Israel will no longer work, and the area will fester in poverty for years to come.
It’s best not to start wars!
OLD GUY says
Not to worry Joe to the rescue with US tax dollars to rebuild Gaza. That deal probably was made before this all started, the people at the top never lose they know how to work the systems for their private benefit.
Us little people always pick up the tab.
Mind watch says
It’s disturbing how condemnation takes a u turn and in time is thrown at the victims. The mind sway explodes in voracity. Has any ‘Jewish despiser’ ever sat down and seriously questioned the Nature and origin of their hate and beliefs. What have Jewish people done to them? It’s interesting that the Jewish can be Born of Muslims and Muslims born of Jewish – life does not make any distinctions-our delusional minds do. To take life in vain on the basis of belief can’t be adequateky punishable in secular terms. Life is far Deeper than this. From a Mahayana Buddhism perspective at least , the fate awaiting Hamas operatives on passing away is extreme. There are no virgins roaming around. As the universe is infinitely profound, unfathomable etc, Why is not Such profundity alluded to by Islam’s clerics, i wonder. Why are Islam’s self appointed ‘little Allahs’ always ranting, raving about killing, submission, getting more sex via killing etc? Surely Allah as the supposed creator of Life would divorce him/her/itself from this nonsense – Will Allah ever present as phenomena – to be perceived, not conceived) to do just that? We all know the answer to that question, i’m afraid.
Rotem N says
ARABS are not “Palestinians”!
beeaware says
The Palestinians are so brainwashed at an early age, they’ll follow Hamas to the grave. All Muslims must follow Allah’s struggle in jihad commands, to control the earth. A Muslim has two choices, finance jihad or become a jihadist. You kill for Allah, rape for Allah, acquire slaves for Allah, acquire booty for Allah. Killing Christians/Jews provides booty (reward) land, women and children slaves (reward), also includes acquisition of victims housing (reward). War is rewarding, get killed – automatic 72 virgins, sexual stamina of 100 men. (Heavenly reward).
Palestinians are tied to Hamas at the hip, Palestinian children fight on front lines for Hamas, blow themselves up for Hamas. Hamas and the Palestinians don’t want peace, they want total control of Israel. Twitter is inundated with, “support” Palestine posts, they replace the geographical map of Israel with a Palestine map laid over the same/identical topographical graphic.
Hamas greedily confiscates all money and food, typical of plethora of worldwide Islamic terrorist organizations. The more mosques they can build, the greater their control over neighborhoods. As David Wood would say, “ Palestine, France, Germany, the UK are all Sharia compliant hell holes.”
Walter Sieruk says
This picture of those ruins are but some of the disastrous “blessings” that Hamas has brought upon the people of Gaza.