Ex-Shin Bet Official: Hamas Maintains Control in Gaza Through Aid and Taxes

Hamas continues to effectively control the Gaza Strip and generate substantial revenue from humanitarian aid, even three years into the ongoing conflict, according to a former senior Shin Bet official. Naomi Neuman, formerly head of research at the Shin Bet and now a researcher at the Washington Institute, stated in an interview with Kan News on Reshet Bet that the Palestinian public encounters Hamas daily, leading them to view the organization as permanent. Neuman explained that Hamas imposes heavy taxes on goods entering Gaza, generating between two and five million dollars daily. "Everything that enters the Strip becomes a source of income," she described, adding that Hamas confiscates a portion of humanitarian aid and sells these goods at inflated prices on the black market. According to Neuman, Hamas has abandoned the official government model in favor of a decentralized system that avoids accountability to residents. The organization carries out policing and enforcement secretly, relying on covert units with deterrent power. These units instill fear, enforce discipline, and re-establish control in areas where traditional governance has collapsed. This allows Hamas to dictate resource allocation among the population and create complete dependence on it as the primary employer, selling solutions for payment. Neuman concluded by noting that what was previously termed a "hudna" or "tahdiya" is now referred to as the "Trump initiative."