Hamas still pays salaries and rewards supporters

After nearly two years of war, Hamas’s military capacity was heavily weakened and his political leadership under intense pressure.

However, throughout the war, Hamas managed to continue using a secret payment system based on money to pay 30,000 salaries to civil servants for a total value of $ 7 million (£ 5.3 million).

The BBC spoke with three civil servants who confirmed they had received nearly $ 300 each in the last week.

They are believed to be among tens of thousands of employees who continue to receive a maximum of just over 20% of their pre -war salary every 10 weeks.

Against the background of increasing inflation, the salary of the tokens – part of the full amount – causes increasing resentment among the power of attorney.

Severe food shortages – which help agencies accuse of Israeli restrictions – and increasing cases of acute malnutrition continue in gas, where a kilogram of flour in recent weeks costs up to $ 80 – the highest time.

Without a functioning banking system in gas, even getting a salary is complicated and sometimes dangerous. Israel regularly identifies and directs Hamas salaries distributors, striving to break the group’s ability to manage.

Officers from police officers to tax officials often receive a encrypted message on their own phones or their spouses, who instruct them to go to a certain place at some point to “meet a tea friend”.

At the meeting place, the employee approaches a man – or occasionally to a woman – who discreetly transmits a sealed envelope containing the money before disappearing without more interaction.

An employee at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Hamas, who does not want to give his name for safety reasons, described the dangers associated with his salaries.

“Every time I go to take my salary, I say goodbye to my wife and children. I know I may not return,” he said. “On several occasions, Israeli strikes have hit the salary distribution points. I have survived that it is targeting a busy market in Gaza.”

Alaa, whose name we have changed to protect his identity, is a teacher hired by the Hamas government and the only supplier for a family of six.

“I received 1000 shekels (about $ 300) in worn banknotes – no trader would accept them. Only 200 shekels were used – the rest, to be honest, I don’t know what to do,” he told the BBC.

“After two months of starvation, they pay us in torn money.

“I am often forced to go to help distribute in the hope of making some flour feed my children. Sometimes I manage to get home a little, but most of the time I fail.”

In March, the Israeli military said they had killed Hamas Finance Head Ismail Barhum, on strike at a Nasser hospital in Khan Enis. He was accused of targeting Hamas’s military wing.

It is unclear how Hamas managed to continue to finance payments of salaries, given the destruction of a large part of his administrative and financial infrastructure.

A senior Hamas employee who served in high positions and is familiar with Hamas’s financial operations, told the BBC that the group has stocking approximately $ 700 million in cash and hundreds of millions of shekels in underground tunnels before the Group’s deadly attack in South Israel.

It is alleged that they were watched directly by Hamas leader Yahaya Sinuar and his brother Mohammed – both have been killed by the Israeli forces ever since.

Hamas historically relies on funding from heavy import duties and taxes imposed on the Gaza population, as well as to receive millions of dollars support from Qatar.

Qassam brigades, Hamas’s military wing, which works through a separate financial system, is funded mainly by Iran.

A senior employee of the forbidden Muslim Brotherhood based in Egypt

In order to generate revenue during the war, Hamas also continues to collect taxes on traders and sold large quantities of cigarettes at high prices up to 100 times higher than their original price. Before the war, a box of 20 cigarettes cost $ 5 – which has now grown to over $ 170.

In addition to cash payments, Hamas has distributed food parcels to its members and their families through local emergency committees, whose leadership often rotates due to multiple Israeli strikes.

This nourishes public anger, with many Gaza residents accusing Hamas of distributing the aid of his supporters only and excluding the wider population.

Israel has accused Hamas of stealing the aid that went into gas during the end of fire earlier this year, something Hamas denies. However, the BBC sources in Gaza said, during that time, significant amounts of Hamas help were taken.

Nisrine Khaled, a widow, leaving her care for three children after her husband died of cancer five years ago, told the BBC: “When the hunger worsens, my children cry not only with pain, but also from watching Hamas -related neighbors, they get plots of food and sacks of flour.

“Are not the cause of our suffering? Why have they not provided food, water and medicines before they start their adventure on October 7?”