Resilience Amid Ruin: Gaza’s Digital Activists Keep Connection Alive

In a region grappling with devastation—where 81% of buildings are damaged or destroyed—a determined group of young Palestinians is passionately working to uphold what remains of Gaza’s digital landscape. These individuals, comprising coders, repair technicians, and freelance workers, are striving to maintain a connection to the outside world despite the overwhelming odds they face.

Innovative Solutions in Despair

In the face of adversity, Gaza’s youth continue to adapt and innovate. They work offline, jotting code in notebooks, harness solar energy whenever possible, and seizing the rare chances for internet connectivity to send their work to clients across the globe. In a context where survival has become increasingly challenging, honing digital skills has transformed from a professional pursuit to a crucial means of survival.

Many individuals have started depending on online work as their main income source. Unfortunately, this essential lifeline is now precariously hanging in the balance, following over two years of significant conflict.

A Devastated Infrastructure

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reports that Israeli forces have “deliberately and systematically destroyed” much of the telecommunications infrastructure in the region. “We’re always looking for alternate ways to connect,” shares coder Shaima Abu Al Atta, working from a displacement camp. “This gives us purpose; otherwise, we would just be surviving without meaning.”

Before the conflict erupted in October 2023, Gaza had a budding tech scene characterized by innovation hubs and compatible working conditions for hundreds of freelancers engaged with international clients. Now, much of that vibrant ecosystem lies in ruins.

A Lost Community

Engineer Shareef Naim, who once managed a technology hub, unfortunately reflects on what has been lost. His center, which accommodated over a dozen programmers contracted to companies outside Gaza, is now destroyed. “The team was very active,” Naim laments, though some members are still trying to work from makeshift locations such as tents and emergency shelters.

Technology repair specialist A’aed Shamaly highlights major challenges, noting, “Electricity availability is erratic, and when it is, it is often unstable and costly.” The price for electricity has risen dramatically, moving from $1.50 for 10 kilowatts to an astonishing $12 per kilowatt. Compounding the issue, the scarcity of spare parts forces technicians to salvage components from ruined equipment recovered from bombed sites.

The Vast Impact of Destruction

The extent of destruction is unprecedented. According to the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), approximately 198,273 structures in Gaza have been damaged, with over 123,000 completely obliterated. The telecommunications sector has faced particularly severe impacts.

As early as April 2025, data indicated that 64% of mobile phone towers were non-functional. In Rafah, access plummeted to just 27%, a drastic change from near-universal coverage prior to the conflict. Connectivity watchdog NetBlocks recorded several interruptions, including a notable “near-total telecoms blackout” in January 2024 that lasted several days.

Historically, Israel has restricted Gaza’s access to outdated 2G mobile technology, while the much more advanced 4G network is accessible in the occupied West Bank. This has contributed to the staggering decline in the telecommunications sector’s value, plummeting from $13 million in 2023 to a mere $1.5 million in 2024—a remarkable collapse of 89%. Overall losses are estimated to exceed half a billion dollars, with reconstruction efforts projected to surpass $90 million.

The ramifications of this collapse are felt throughout Gaza’s economy and society. Remote work had become vital in a region where unemployment rates were already exceeding 79% before the conflict. Now, unreliable internet access has pushed many freelancers into unemployment, while soaring food prices due to the ongoing conflict have intensified the humanitarian crisis.

The telecommunications disintegration has also paralyzed the banking system, complicating money transfers and preventing families from accessing cash. The healthcare system has been severely hampered, with the World Health Organization reporting fatalities resulting from delays in reaching emergency services.

Even during the fragile ceasefire declared in October 2025, Israel has blocked the entry of necessary repair equipment into Gaza. Analysts argue that these restrictions are part of a systematic strategy to maintain control over Palestinian digital infrastructure and suppress information flow to the outside world.

As attempts to establish a lasting ceasefire falter, and threats of a return to full-scale conflict loom, the future remains profoundly uncertain for Gaza’s resilient digital community.