"I was just in a trough, drowning in uncertainty," says 24‑year‑old Walaa Volidis, a Palestinian software engineer. She wears a headset, hunched over a laptop in a tent in central Gaza, and works with a mentor in California’s Silicon Valley to keep her skills sharp. But this is just one of many daily battles: she supports her displaced parents and four younger siblings while trying to secure a remote gig.
The war, begun after October 2023, has disrupted more than 80% of Gaza’s economy. With the unemployment rate soaring past 80% and telecommunications infrastructure shattered, the digital economy has emerged as a possible lifeline. NGOs like Mercy Corps and the Palestinian‑Dutch organisation TAP help workers connect to mentors, career coaches and international clients. Walaa recently landed a full‑time remote job with a Dubai‑based firm, enabling her to provide for her family and plan medical evacuation for her sister with lymphoedema.
Within Gaza’s co‑working spaces – erected on generators and solar panels – peers like 44‑year‑old Tarik Zaeem and 30‑year‑old Mahran Bayed develop apps, websites and advertising campaigns from tents near Al‑Shifa hospital. Tarik’s latest project is a mobile app for a Saudi barber’s shop; Mahran’s work spans cross‑border teams, almost invisible beyond the rubble. Despite their creation, receiving payments remains a massive hurdle: banking channels are blocked, digital payment platforms are inaccessible, and customers must route money through expensive brokers.
“From Gaza I can collaborate with teams in completely different parts of the world,” says Mahran, noting that technology allows him to contribute beyond the borders of a blockaded territory. He carries an external display because Israeli airstrikes damaged his laptop screen, and spare parts, though salvaged, are scarce. The Israeli defence authority COGAT classifies computer gear as dual‑use, further limiting imports.
Behind the fervent productivity, the reality of war remains brutal: at least 1,250 people have died since the ceasefire, and Israeli bombardments continue almost daily. Gaza’s tech community, however, stands as a testament to resilience. The shared narrative across Walaa, Tarik, Mahran and others shows that, even amid ruins, a digital ecosystem can offer hope, income and a bridge to a future that extends beyond Gaza’s borders.
