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Hamas Tortured Me for Dissent. Here's What They Really Think of Palestinians
(Newsweek) Hamza Howidy - I was born in Gaza, attended school in the al-Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, and studied at the Islamic University of Gaza, along with future Hamas leaders and current members. I observed a huge social gap between the wealthy elite who belong to Hamas and the rest of the population who were increasingly living in poverty. Public sector jobs were limited to Hamas members. Though we knew dissenters were subject to imprisonment, torture, and even murder, in 2019 a few of us decided to join forces and voice our opposition to Hamas in a "We Want to Live" demonstration. We were all arrested. I was held for 21 days, was beaten with batons and sprayed with cold water in the late winter night hours. After we were released, we suffered ongoing harassment by Hamas members. Most of those who participated in the demonstrations emigrated from Gaza. The continuous threats from Hamas members and accusations of treason made me lose hope that I could make any kind of change. I left Gaza in August to seek a better future for myself and my family.