Life in Lawless Gaza: Chaos and Luxury Side by Side while Nutella crepes are served
Explore the paradoxical reality of life in Gaza, where luxury businesses operate alongside humanitarian crisis, revealing deep social divisions and a collapse of formal authority.
Twitter
Amid images of destruction and humanitarian appeals, life in Gaza reveals stark contradictions. While parts of the population endure hunger and chaos, businesses continue to operate, catering to those who seem to have considerable amounts of still disposable income. Chef Ramada’s restaurant in the southern strip, for instance, serves pizzas, Belgian waffles, and Nutella shakes for 60 shekels, while local jewelry shops continue selling gold pieces to couples, despite the ongoing war.
"They continue to sell engagement and wedding rings for couples who are getting engaged all around the territory," reveals jewelery store owner from the Gaza Strip.
Prices range from hundreds to thousands of shekels, accommodating both wealthier residents and those struggling to survive.
Yet beneath these signs of normalcy, the social order is collapsing. A local resident described the situation bluntly:
“Hamas no longer exists here; it’s just appearances on TV. They claim presence, but they have no real power. Most people in Gaza don’t support them, this would be impossible.”
Under the vacuum left by Hamas, life has devolved into what many describe as a “Wild West.” Clan leaders now dictate authority, and criminal organizations have become the de facto rulers.
“Everyone thinks they’re a leader because everyone carries a knife,” the resident explained.
Looting of humanitarian aid is widespread, but the greater threat is the everyday lawlessness, where personal survival depends on navigating the shifting power of family clans and armed groups.
"Today, everyone who has a big family now states to be in control on the Strip," explains a local seller.
Economic inequality is stark. While some can afford luxuries like gold jewelry, many must sell their belongings to buy basic food. Today, the 10% richest Gazans are the ones mantaining the luxurious business' working in their full power.
The owner of a local jewelry store noted the fragility beneath the surface:
“The moment it becomes possible to leave Gaza, 90% of Gazans will leave the territory. Most people just want to escape.”
This statement is given based in the current situation of Gaza Strip, where the "stronger wins" law is the one holding the territory. On one side, some citizens didn't even leave their original houses and mansions during the lasting war period, being supported not only by their own income, but also from money which comes from their families who live abroad. From the other side, there are the ones living in poverty, fighting to get to the humanitarian aid collection points and selling their belongings to buy food for their families.
The broader reality of Gaza today is clear: a fractured population, governed less by formal authority than by clan allegiance and opportunistic crime, where survival is dictated by power, wealth, and mobility. For the world outside, the humanitarian crisis captures attention, but on the ground, Gazans navigate a society where chaos, fear, and inequality define everyday life.
The continuation of business amid war, and the desire to flee expressed by residents, underscores a painful truth: Gaza is a land of contrasts, where some cling to life as usual while others confront a fragile and perilous reality.