Gaza is developing into an unlikely tech hub, with NGOs and Google supporting the development of start-ups in the strip. Before the 2023 war between Israel and Hamas, these efforts were already underway to provide young Gazans with a means to earn money for their families. Despite significant obstacles such as unemployment, lack of electricity and internet, co-working hubs have begun to pop up, allowing graduates to work remotely for foreign companies as coders and developers. About 80% of Gazans are currently unemployed.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Before the October 2023 attack between Israel and Hamas, NGOs, backed by Google, were working on developing tech start-ups in the Gaza strip, hoping to create jobs for young Gazans through the digital economy. However, since then, Gaza has been plagued by war, forcing many residents to flee their homes, lose their livelihoods, and even their laptops. Today, 80% of Gazans are unemployed, living in tents among the rubble with limited access to stable electricity and internet. Despite these challenges, co-working hubs have begun to emerge, providing a chance for well-educated graduates to work remotely as coders, software engineers, and app developers for foreign companies. However, Israel's control over Gaza's imports and exports creates significant obstacles for these tech entrepreneurs, including finding decent internet, electricity, and laptop spare parts.
Written for “Assignment Fiasco at Harvard” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's framing is relatively neutral, but it does use some language that suggests a slightly sympathetic tone towards the Gazans and their situation, such as describing them as developing 'once again' and mentioning their struggles for food and water.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score +0.30 for article 303 · logged 2026-08-04
Available for over a year
How amid the tents and the rubble Gaza is developing once again as an unlikely tech hub.
asserted
Gaza → develop → hub
Even before the 7 October 2023 attack and the subsequent war between Israel and Hamas, NGOs, with the backing of Google, had sought to develop tech start-ups in the Gaza strip.
asserted
NGOs → seek → strip
The digital economy was one of the few areas in which young Gazans in particular could seek to earn money for their families.
uncertain
Gazans → seek → families
During the two years of war they struggled for food and water.
asserted
they → struggle → food
Forced to move from place to place, most of them lost their homes, their work, sometimes their laptops and plenty lost family members.
asserted
plenty → force → members
Now 80% of Gazans are unemployed and have no income.
asserted
% → have → income
Many of them live amid the rubble in tents.
asserted
Many → live → tents
Stable electricity and internet are difficult to come by.
asserted
electricity → come → ?
And yet co-working hubs have begun to pop up, giving well educated graduates a chance to work remotely for foreign companies as coders, software engineers and app developers.
asserted
hubs → begin → coders
With Israel controlling what comes in and out of Gaza, they still face significant obstacles, not least finding decent internet, electricity and spare parts for their laptops.
asserted
they → control → laptops
And with near-daily bombings continuing, Gaza’s wider recovery remains uncertain.
asserted
recovery → continue → ?
Yolande Knell reports on how its tech workers give a glimpse of a brighter, possible future, open to the world beyond Gaza’s borders.
asserted
workers → report → borders
(Photo: A man sits on a chair outside and is typing on the keyboard of a laptop on his lap.
asserted
man → sit → lap
Behind him is a small tree and shrubs and rubble from destroyed apartments bathed in sunlight.
asserted
tree → destroy → sunlight
He has short brown hair and wears a maroon long-sleeved shirt and jeans)
asserted
He → have → shirt
