Growing up in Gaza under Hamas

Khalil Sayyeg and Muhammad Shahada, both Palestinian political analysts who grew up in Gaza, discuss their experiences of living under Hamas rule. Khalil describes his interactions with Hamas members in school and the conflicting feelings of their kindness and the discomfort caused by their Islamization agenda. He shares an anecdote about Hamas replacing the Palestinian national anthem with an Islamic song, symbolizing his struggle with their governance. Muhammad talks about his experience of Hamas being an excluded and persecuted minority before they took over the government. He highlights how their exclusion from Palestinian Authority jobs and their function as spoilers in the peace process enabled them to gain prominence. He also discusses the economic consequences of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and how it worsened the situation leading up to Hamas's takeover. Both Khalil and Muhammad acknowledge Hamas's role as a government, militant wing, political party, and provider of charity in Gaza, and discuss the high cost of their governance and the limited achievements in terms of economic reform and fighting corruption.