Even with almost two years of conflict and severe attacks that weakened its military capacity, Hamas has managed to maintain a secret payment system for about 30,000 civilians in Gaza, totaling about $ 7 million in salaries.
According to a report by BBCpayments are made every 10 weeks and correspond to just over 20% of the pre-war salary, generating increasing dissatisfaction among the beneficiaries.
Due to the absence of a functional banking system in Gaza and the constant Israeli military operations aimed at dismantling the structure of Hamas, payments are made clandestinely.
Unique opportunity
Legacy Card: Far beyond a service
According to the BBC, employees receive encrypted messages with instructions to look for cash envelopes in specific locations, taking great risks during collection, as distribution points are often targets of attacks.
Hamas financing for these payments comes from an estimated stock of about $ 700 million in cash and hundreds of millions of shekels stored in underground tunnels before the Israeli offensive began in October 2023.
In addition, the group raises funds through taxes on the local population, sales of products at inflated prices and external financial support, especially from Qatar and Iran.
Continues after advertising
Hamas’s humanitarian aid distribution has also been the target of criticism, with allegations that resources are preferably directed to their supporters, while much of the population faces severe food shortages and increased malnutrition.
International organizations attribute the food crisis in Gaza to Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies.
The aggravated humanitarian situation, combined with the clandestine payment system, highlights the challenges faced by the population of Gaza, which lives under constant threat and economic difficulties, while Hamas struggles to maintain their administrative structure and political control in the midst of conflict.
