As law and order collapse in Gaza, Hamas has retained pockets of power and has been quick to reemerge in areas where Israeli forces have withdrawn.
JERUSALEM — After nine months of Israel’s all-out war against Hamas, the group’s government remains a key source of civil authority across the Gaza Strip — a testament to the organization’s reach and resiliency, and the limits of the military campaign aimed at eradicating its influence.
The IDF said last week it had killed about “half” of the group’s military leadership, but it did not respond to a request for comment on whether civilian employees of the Hamas-led government were military targets. COGAT, the arm of Israel’s Defense Ministry in charge of administering Gaza, referred questions back to the IDF.
“Israel has gone after the Palestinian civilian population and civilian infrastructure,” Abu Saada said. “Whoever is fighting back is respected by the Palestinian people.”Composed of a political and a military wing — the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades — Hamas embedded itself in all facets of Gazan life over 17 years in power. The government employed around 40,000 people before the war; an additional 27,000 to 40,000 were estimated to belong to the Qassam Brigades.
Some ministries and agencies are still operating, though it “depends on the place,” said Wael Balousha, the Gaza Strip director of AMAN, the Ramallah-based chapter of Transparency International. He spoke by phone from Egypt, where he fled during the war. On Monday, authorities in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, announced they had run out of fuel needed to power their 19 wells and water tanks, serving about 700,000 people. “The municipality is trying to resolve this problem as soon as possible,” they wrote on Facebook.In the war’s initial months, Gaza’s civilian police force, which is separate from the Qassam Brigades, were among the most visible remnants of Hamas authority, helping provide security for aid convoys.
Israel’s seizure of the Rafah crossing in May has undercut Hamas efforts to control local commerce, he said. Plainclothes Hamas authorities have now resorted to extortion, according to merchants interviewed by The Washington Post, seeking a cut fromFear was always a hallmark of Hamas rule, and the group maintains the ability to silence its opponents.
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