Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: Israel has re-embraced Hamas rule in Gaza

In this episode of What Matters Now, host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaks with Ahmed Fouad Al-Khatib, head of Realign for Palestine at the Atlantic Council, about the deteriorating humanitarian and political situation in Gaza following the October 7th attacks and subsequent war. Al-Khatib paints a grim picture of life in Gaza: rampant rat infestations, sewage-filled streets, collapsed infrastructure, and a population trapped in a cycle of despair. Despite the destruction, Hamas remains entrenched in power through fragmented local control, taxation, and coercion, while Israel maintains a de facto strategic hold over 53% of Gaza without launching a full-scale offensive. The episode explores the failure of international efforts like the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which lack staffing, funding, and credibility. Al-Khatib highlights the paralysis of regional actors—Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE—due to their own security crises, leaving Gaza without meaningful external support. Yet amid the devastation, he finds flickers of hope in the resilience of ordinary Gazans: educators teaching children, professionals pursuing training, and a growing rejection of Hamas by the populace. The spirit of Gaza, he argues, is complex—marked by both zombified resignation and quiet resistance, with a deep yearning for a future beyond war. Key takeaways include: 1) Hamas remains in control through local fiefdoms and taxation, not just military force; 2) Israel’s strategic restraint is driven by threats from Hezbollah and Iran, not moral hesitation; 3) The Board of Peace is failing due to poor staffing, unclear mandate, and lack of regional buy-in; 4) Regional powers are too preoccupied with their own security to fund Gaza reconstruction; 5) The Gazan people are not uniformly resigned—they are divided between despair, resistance, and quiet hope. Overall, the episode underscores that the crisis in Gaza is not just a military or political stalemate, but a humanitarian and existential one, where the real war is being fought in the hearts and minds of the people.