CONFLICTED Conflicted Revisited… Hamza Howidy – Protest, Exile, and a Post-Hamas Vision of Gaza
Oct 29, 2025
Hamza Howidy, a Palestinian activist in exile from Gaza, shares his powerful narrative of life under Hamas. He reflects on the rise of Hamas, the brutal reality of dissent, and his transformative protests in 2019 and 2023. Hamza discusses the internal political struggles in Gaza and his harrowing journey to Europe. He critiques the complicity of international aid and expresses a dual opposition to both Hamas and Israeli violence. As he envisions a post-Hamas Gaza, he grapples with pessimism about future changes in the political landscape.
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Aid Created Aid Dependency
- Hamza argues that Gaza's civilian infrastructure was funded by donors, not built by Hamas.
- He says aid dependency let Hamas focus on tunnels and military goals instead of governance.
External Funding Enabled Hamas
- Hamza says Hamas benefited from both Qatari funds and Israeli arrangements that monitored money flows.
- He argues those same external flows financially empowered Hamas while others now call for its elimination.
Political Rejection, Military Appeal
- Hamza differentiates Hamas's political wing from its military wing and says the political leadership was unpopular.
- He explains Gazans tolerated the armed-resistance narrative even while rejecting corrupt governance.