The ongoing conflict in Gaza, marked by Israeli military actions and a collapsing economy, has put unprecedented pressure on the Palestinian enclave's government and its civil servants. Amidst these challenges, Hamas has managed to sustain a covert system for paying approximately 30,000 of its civil employees. The total salary payments reach about $7 million, with individuals receiving a token amount, often not exceeding 20% of their original salary, every ten weeks.
Civil servants in Gaza, including teachers and police officers, confirm receiving around $300 recently, a figure which has fostered growing dissatisfaction among Hamas supporters. The surge in inflation exacerbates the hardships, with basic food items, such as flour, being sold for exorbitant prices—up to $80 per kilogram—creating dire conditions for many families.
With no functional banking outlets, the process of collecting wages is fraught with danger. Employees receive encrypted messages instructing them to meet in discreet locations where they are handed cash by unidentified individuals. One civil servant described the anxiety of each salary collection, aware of the potential for Israeli airstrikes targeting these clandestine operations.
Another employee shared the grim reality of being handed worn-out banknotes that are often rejected by local merchants, leaving him and his family in precarious conditions and dependent on meager aid distributions. Despite the dire circumstances, the mechanisms of Hamas's finance remain shrouded in secrecy. Following the elimination of key financial figures within Hamas, speculation arises regarding how the organization manages to uphold salary payments and support its operations.
Historically, Hamas has funded itself through taxes imposed on Gaza's populace and substantial support from Qatar and Iran. Though it continues to impose taxes and sell goods at inflated prices to generate revenue during the war, allegations also surface that aid allocated for civilians has been diverted to benefit Hamas supporters. As desperation spikes, many in Gaza express frustration, witnessing their Hamas-aligned neighbors receive aid while they struggle to find basic necessities like food and medicine.
The humanitarian crises and financial struggles of Gaza's citizens intertwine with the complex political landscape, reminding the world of the looming consequences of persistent conflict and the relentless fight for survival among its most vulnerable communities.
