Full Breakdown
Gaza’s Tech Workers Keep Freelancing Amid Ongoing War
8/4/2026, 11:20:54 AM
Gaza’s Digital Resilience
Since the conflict erupted after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, thousands of young Gazans have turned to online freelancing as a means of survival. In co-working spaces powered by generators and solar panels, engineers such as 24-year-old Walaa Volidis and 44-year-old Tarik Zaeem develop mobile apps, websites and advertising content for clients abroad, hoping to earn income despite daily air strikes and severe infrastructure damage.
Background: A Pre-War Tech Hub
Before the war, Gaza hosted a budding tech sector supported by initiatives like Gaza Sky Geeks, founded in 2012 by Google and Mercy Corps. The program ran coding courses and helped startups access international markets. The blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt limited physical mobility, making remote work an attractive alternative for graduates.
Data & Statistics
- Unemployment in Gaza has risen to over 80 %, up from 22 % before the war (UN).
- Approximately 75 % of telecommunications networks have been damaged or destroyed.
- Gaza’s power system has suffered a near-total collapse, forcing many tech hubs to rely on generators and solar panels.
- The Hamas-run health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN, reports at least 1,250 deaths, including 265 children, since the October truce.
Official Statements & Responses
Humanitarian organization Mercy Corps emphasizes the “digital lifeline” that laptops and internet connections provide, noting that such work reduces dependence on aid. Nicole Hark of Mercy Corps says the goal is to help people “go back to work.” Israeli officials state that strikes target Hamas operatives and aim to minimise civilian harm, a claim echoed by the Israeli defence authority Cogat, which classifies computer equipment as “dual-use” and restricts its import.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I was just in a trough, drowning in uncertainty,” — Walaa Volidis, a Palestinian software engineer
- “We talk about it now as a sort of digital lifeline, this idea that if you have a laptop, if you have a working internet connection, you can work and have an income,” — Nicole Hark
- “I am starting from scratch, from zero, to start a new career,” — Tarik Zaeem
- “When I work on my laptop, I forget everything. I forget what's happened,” — Tarik
- “Once we get a job for IT that needs like three to four months, we are trying to say to this customer: 'Please know that everything will be online, if we get killed, you will have your work,'” — Mahran Bayed. Mahran
