After bombs, blackouts and bank restrictions, Gaza’s digital workers are still coding – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Gaza City – Tarik Zaeem sits at a desk in a shared workspace, headphones on, as he debugs the barcode scanner for a Saudi valet parking app. Outside, the sounds of the city filter in, yet he stays focused on the lines of code that connect him to clients thousands of miles away. For Zaeem and hundreds of other freelancers across the Gaza Strip, remote digital work has become both a source of income and a way to maintain some sense of routine after years of upheaval.
From Blockade to Online Opportunity
Digital freelancing took root in Gaza more than a decade ago. After Hamas took control in 2007, traditional industries such as agriculture and manufacturing contracted sharply under the blockade. High unemployment pushed many college graduates with technical skills toward online platforms. By the late 2010s, more than nine in ten households had internet access, and programs from groups like the United Nations Development Program and Mercy Corps supported training and coworking spaces.
Interest grew quickly once it became clear that workers in Gaza could compete for projects from clients in Canada, Kuwait, Turkey and elsewhere. Coworking hubs offered stable connections and a professional setting that helped freelancers secure steady assignments in coding, graphic design and app development.
War Disrupts but Does Not End the Work
The October 2023 escalation brought widespread destruction. Telecommunications infrastructure suffered heavy damage, power supplies failed for long stretches, and many freelancers lost homes, equipment or contact with colleagues. Two of the three Gaza Sky Geeks locations were destroyed, and some participants and instructors were killed or displaced.
Still, a core group continued. They shifted to solar-powered spaces and shorter work shifts, completing projects such as websites for businesses abroad and booking systems for local services. Seven months after the ceasefire, activity has steadied even as broader reconstruction lags.
Building New Workspaces and Skills
Independent coworking spots have reopened across Gaza, many equipped with solar generators. Software engineer Sharif Naim founded Taqat Gaza during the conflict to give freelancers reliable three-hour blocks of power and internet. The space now serves more than 500 people and emphasizes training to help workers regain skills lost during the fighting.
Women have become a growing part of the community. Graphic designer Reem Alkhateeb now relies on her freelance income as the family’s main support after her husband lost his job. She balances client deadlines with daily lines for food and water, viewing the work as essential rather than supplemental.
Payment Routes and Daily Realities
Bank access remains limited and international platforms such as PayPal do not operate with Palestinian addresses. Freelancers route earnings through relatives overseas or use cash brokers that charge high fees. Initiatives like Gaza Talents, started by Salsabil Bardawi, have helped channel more than $600,000 to workers by partnering with the Bank of Palestine and the PalPay digital wallet.
These arrangements allow coders and designers to keep delivering for foreign clients while covering basic needs. The focus now includes rebuilding professional networks and preparing for longer-term contracts.
What matters now: Stable power, reliable internet and workable payment channels remain the main barriers. As workspaces expand and training resumes, freelancers are regaining ground in the global market while seeking the basic conditions that let them plan beyond day-to-day survival.
Many describe the work itself as a form of continuity. When deadlines are met and payments arrive, the routine offers a measure of predictability in a place still marked by uncertainty. For those who have kept coding through the hardest months, each completed project represents both income and a small step toward normal life.
