Interview with Moaz Mansour of Gaza Online
DIY meets Infrastructure: A conversation with Moaz Mansour of Gaza Online
Jane Shi
On June 12th, 2025, Israel cut off the main fiber route in Gaza, destroying basic Internet infrastructure and continuing to prevent engineers from fixing them. This, what the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority called, “escalation in digital isolation” led to a prolonged Internet blackout that impacted the entirety of the Gaza Strip. Whereas local networks worked intermittently since October 2023, eSims in the next 3 days became literally the only way anyone in the region could reach each other and the outside world.
Thanks to community effort and global calls to action–in no small part due to the diligent work of disabled communities around the world, Crips for eSims for Gaza raised several hundred thousand dollars which we were able to use to immediately pay off volunteer spending during this critical week. Between December and June 2024, some of our volunteers were generously helping us foot a significant deficit, ensuring that we did not cut off continuous usage for our eSim superusers–users such as students, journalists, those creating hotspots for their neighbours or families, who require daily top ups that accumulate to hundreds of gigabytes of data over time. In the last nearly two years, Crips for eSims for Gaza have never stopped sending and topping up eSims, only slowing down due to capacity and lack of funds. During the blackout, our volunteers sprang into action and immediately sent out as many eSims as we could while keeping our already active eSims topped up.
During this time, people on social media shared Crips for eSims for Gaza’s fundraising efforts alongside Connecting Humanity, Najungi, Watermelon Warriors, and Gaza Online (who are fiscally sponsored by Watermelon Warriors). On June 4th, 2025, Amira Souilem of Radio France Internationale published an episode and article featuring our efforts alongside Gaza Online. Shortly after, Moaz Mansour of Gaza Online reached out to me, Jane Shi, to learn more about each other and to see if we could collaborate.
In the past nearly two years, Crips for eSims for Gaza has been lucky to have gotten to know many groups that have been helping to send eSims, all focused on ensuring connectivity and survival among Palestinians in Gaza experiencing an ongoing genocide. Each group has their own approach, and we are grateful to be able to learn from each other in service of Gazans and the liberation of the Palestinian people. Such collaboration is more crucial than ever, as Israel continues to wage a genocide of famine and the assasination of journalists who reported on it.
When we invited Moaz to our online community, he immediately clarified a few burning technical questions about our work based on his experience and expertise within telecommunications and tech. Empowering us with this knowledge means that we can collectively make better decisions for Gazans on the ground and organize more sustainable ways for disabled organizers and community members to support Palestinians in Gaza through eSIM mutual aid and beyond. Below is Moaz and I’s interview conversation, where you can learn more about their work.
Donors can receive a U.S. Tax receipt with a donation to Gaza Online.
Support ongoing eSim fundraising:
- Crips for eSims for Gaza (Chuffed)
- Gaza Online (Donorbox and In-Kind eSIM donations through LimitFlex)
- Watermelon Warriors (Stripe and eSIM donations through Andalu)
- Connecting Humanity (Wise and Wire Transfer)
- Najungi (Wise, Ko-Fi, PayPal, Indonesian Shopeepay)
The following interview has been generously transcribed by Academic Audio Transcription Ltd. It has been edited for clarity and accuracy. Arabic translation by Moaz Mansour and Hamza Salha, with support from Jane Shi and Nurdoukht Khudonazarova Taghdumbashi.
Jane Shi: What is Gaza Online?
Moaz Mansour: Hi Jane. It’s good to meet you today. So, what is Gaza Online? Gaza Online is an initiative that began in the early days of the ongoing war that started in October of 2023. Like you, we recognized an urgent need for connectivity; we believe that connectivity is a basic human right. Staying connected opens the door to so many essential aspects of life, especially in crisis situations. Whether it’s reaching family, contacting first responders, continuing your education, or working remotely, connectivity becomes a lifeline.
I think many of us experienced this globally during COVID, when nearly everything moved online, right? From work, to school, to even staying in touch with loved ones. So, we can think about it similarly. Gaza is facing a different kind of emergency, but the role of connectivity is just as vital. Realizing the importance of connectivity, we started asking: how can we help keep people in Gaza online? That’s how Gaza Online was born. It’s an initiative focused on enabling and sustaining connectivity for people in Gaza, so that even in the most difficult conditions, they can stay connected to life, to opportunities, and to each other. That’s who we are now, and that’s what we do—and we’re continuing to grow from that foundation.
JS: That’s awesome. How do your eSIMs work? How do Gazans get connected to your eSIMs?
MM: The solution that we’re using right now to connect people in Gaza is mainly through eSIMs, both roaming and local. So, how does that work, technically, on the ground? Gaza’s geography offers a unique advantage: it’s a narrow strip of land bordered by Occupied Palestine on one side, and Egypt on the other side. Cell towers from both regions reach into Gaza. That means people inside Gaza can pick up foreign networks from these neighboring areas.
So, we use the same technology people use for international travel: roaming eSIMs. These are data-only eSIMs designed to connect to networks across borders. We distribute them to people in Gaza so they can connect to cell towers located outside Gaza’s physical boundaries. We’ve built a data-driven, automated eSIMs distribution platform. It connects directly with suppliers, and anyone in Gaza can submit a request at services.gaza.online.
We ask for some basic information, like which foreign networks they see on their phone and which region of Gaza they’re located in. That’s important because we’ve mapped which networks tend to work best in each area.
To clarify a little bit on that: different suppliers provide eSIMs that work with a different set of networks. Some work with Egyptian networks, others with Israeli networks. So, our system takes that input and matches it with the most compatible eSIM and data package for the user’s location and network visibility. All of this happens automatically. Once the request is submitted, the system does its magic and assigns the appropriate eSIM, issues it, and delivers it via WhatsApp. That’s also why we ask for a WhatsApp number—we use it to send the eSIM, provide activation instructions, and continue offering direct support. This way, communication with users remains personal and responsive.
It is important to mention here as well, that, at Gaza Online, we only collect the minimum information necessary to fulfill requests; such as a phone number, general region, and visible networks. We do not collect personal messages, browsing data, passwords, or precise location. Each account is tied to the WhatsApp number used to make the request, and only that number can access subscription details or receive support. Even when someone submits a request on behalf of another person, no personal data is disclosed, only limited status information is shown to avoid duplicates or confusion.
We take data security seriously. All communications are encrypted, access is restricted to authorized personnel, and data is only retained for as long as necessary to provide service. Our goal is to serve users while protecting their privacy and respecting their agency, especially in a region where trust and safety are critical.
So, from submitting a request to receiving a working eSIM, the process is designed to be simple, secure, and as fast as possible, even under extremely challenging conditions.
JS: Awesome! You mentioned Gaza Online beginning in October. How did your team come together?
MM: It’s not a single, specific story. It really started with a call out in different groups. It was, “We have this idea, let’s try to make it happen” posted across various Slack channels and community spaces. The entire team really got to know each other through working on Gaza Online. [chuckles]
There has been ebbs and flows, people joining, others stepping away for personal reasons, but many have been involved since the very beginning. It’s a truly global team, with people from Europe, the UK, the Arab region, Jordan, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, the United States, and Canada. We were all drawn to the cause, and the project grew from there. In many ways, it was word of mouth that brought us together.
JS: That’s amazing. It sounds very similar to our project.
MM: [chuckles]
JS: I was curious, how long did it take you to build your current system automated to WhatsApp?
MM: I would break it down into two parts. When we first started, it was very manual. We had a Google Form where people could submit requests, or they would just message us directly on WhatsApp, and we would try to fulfill those requests one by one. As we went along, we started identifying inefficiencies—things like better matching mechanisms—and gradually improved the system step by step. Then we introduced renewable eSIMs. The difference between renewable and limited eSIMs is that renewable ones are tied to local home networks–similar to purchasing a line in your home country. That introduced a new layer of complexity: we needed to track expiration dates, usage, renewals, and so on.
By November of last year, we realized this was bigger than just buying eSIMs and sending them out. We needed to ensure that the connectivity we were providing was consistent, sustainable, and manageable in an automated fashion. Luckily, most of us happen to come from software engineering or technical backgrounds in some form. So since November 2024, we have been tackling those challenges.
We started by clearly defining the problems. For example, the WhatsApp bottleneck: people in Gaza were reaching out to us over WhatsApp, but sometimes it would take two or three days to respond, which created backlogs and delayed processing. We also wanted to optimize for cost-efficiency: because as demand increases, you can quickly run out of funds, and that limits your ability to serve more people. We needed a system that was efficient in matching people with the right eSIMs for their networks and regions.
So, I would say, it took us about two months—from November to January—to get the first version of the product out. It was continuous work [chuckles], often overnight, to get something close to a fully automated system, with auto-delivery, a WhatsApp bot that could handle basic support, and eSIM delivery. Then we spent another two months, from January to March, building the recommendation and optimization engine on top of that system. That’s now what orchestrates the entire flow. So, in total: about four months to get to where we are. But to be fair, a more realistic timeline for doing this kind of work well could easily stretch to a year or more. [laughs] And we are still actively working on it—maintaining, improving, releasing new features, and learning as we go.
JS: That’s really incredible. Which groups and people on the ground have you been mostly serving?
MM: Our service is open to the general public. Literally anyone in Gaza with a Palestinian mobile number can apply for an eSIM. That said, we do have two main categories of recipients: partners and individuals. The first category is our partnership program, which is currently in a soft launch phase. We’re working on building a dedicated partner portal and planning a full launch soon. These pPartners, are organizations operating on the ground in Gaza who need the people they serve to remain connected.
Right now, we have three official partners listed on our website: Gaza Talents, a freelancing platform founded and run in Gaza. They support remote workers and freelancers in continuing their jobs despite the current conditions. We also have the University College of Applied Sciences, a university in Gaza where we’re supporting both staff and students to continue their education online.
Gxza Health, which was our very first partner. They provide telehealth services and professional medical advice to people in Gaza. The partnership program has proven to be extremely valuable – supporting efforts in telemedicine, remote work, and education. And the program is growing. We are in touch with more organizations looking to join and expand their impact through connectivity.
The second category is individuals. After someone submits a request, we connect with them over WhatsApp.From that interaction, we’re often able to identify high-priority users, like journalists, students, medical staff, first responders, scholars, and others. Once a profile is tagged as a high-usage or high-need, the system automatically assigns that account a higher priority in our distribution queue. This is fully integrated and happens seamlessly. Once the tag is applied, the system does the rest. For example, Bayan, a journalist who once posted about us on Instagram, is one of many we’ve supported.
JS: Since you rolled out the more customized eSIM packages for people, what kind of feedback are you getting from people about that system?
MM: We have received a range of feedback. I would say that overall, the system is working well. Right now, people can submit a request and receive an eSIM in a matter of minutes – which wasn’t possible before. When we launched the services website, we built it to be extremely lightweight—even lighter than a WhatsApp message—because we know that WhatsApp is where most people in Gaza are connecting with us. Our goal was to make it as accessible as possible, and we’ve received a lot of positive feedback on that. People have really appreciated how fast the website loads and how quick the response is. The user experience overall has been well received.
That said, we’ve also encountered some resistance, mostly around our cost optimization policies. These are policies we’ve had to put in place to make sure we’re assigning packages that match actual usage. For example, people typically start with a smaller starter package—like 3GB or 5GB—with a limited subscription period, usually four to seven days. The system checks usage at the end of that period. If the eSIM hasn’t been used much, the subscription is extended automatically rather than replaced. This helps avoid waste and ensures we’re allocating resources efficiently.
Sometimes, though, people receive the starter eSIM and feel disappointed—especially when they know we offer packages that go up to 500GB. We try to explain that we’re working with limited resources, and this system allows us to reach as many people as possible without overspending. Of course, we’d love to be able to offer everyone unlimited packages that work perfectly across all of Gaza—but that’s not the reality right now.
The good thing is, when people understand how the system works—and when they see it in action—they come back. They’ll say, “Okay, I’ll use the 3GB now, and then I’ll get a higher package once I’ve used it up.” So we get both kinds of feedback. I’d say most people are happy with how the system works.
The main frustration comes when the process takes longer than expected. People know it usually takes just a few minutes to get an eSIM. So when it takes a week or two to process, that’s when frustration really builds. Unfortunately, that kind of delay can happen when our inventory is low or we’re waiting on funding. But overall, the feedback has been encouraging.
JS: That’s a perfect segue to my next question, which is: what are your funding goal for meeting all of these needs on the ground?
MM: We do have some figures that we refer to as our current funding goals—but because demand keeps growing, those numbers are always shifting. Right now, we have an average of about 7,500 monthly active users. That includes new users, recurring users, and people on renewable subscriptions. If we were to give everyone the full 500GB package, it would cost around $92,000 USD per month. However, thanks to the cost optimization mechanisms we’ve implemented, we’re currently operating at around $40,000 USD per month. So I’d say that maintaining a monthly budget in the $40–50K range would be a realistic goal. That amount helps us keep our current user base connected while leaving a bit of margin for growth and unexpected spikes in demand.
JS: That’s good to know. You mention collaborating with these doctors and journalists on the ground. Who would you say is the majority of the people you have been speaking with and collaborating with?
MM: I would say that the majority are students. After that journalists and medical staff, and then remote workers.
JS: What do you see as the future of your project?
MM: As I mentioned earlier, back in November, we made a strategic shift from purely crisis and emergency response to a more sustainable development model (rather than just focusing on process management and immediate relief). This shift was deeply influenced by our direct interactions with people in Gaza via WhatsApp. Over the past several months, working directly with people this way has given us a clearer, more grounded sense of their reality. You begin to understand not just the need for connectivity, but the broader needs people have. We’d often get messages like, “Can you help me find an internship?” Or, “I just finished studying and I’m looking for a scholarship to continue my education.” And when you hear these things, you realize you are not just enabling internet access. You’re tapping into entire lives, full of hope, ambition, and real need.
In capturing this pulse, we started thinking—now that we have enabled connection, and want to expand that further—how can we also serve as a gateway to opportunities beyond connectivity? What we are envisaging as the next step is building a platform that connects people in Gaza with initiatives outside of Gaza that can offer those kinds of opportunities. For example, if there’s an initiative focused on education and enabling students to pursue higher education, they do not have to physically be there. They can support remotely. But to do that effectively you need to ensure that a community is built around it. We want to bring together the people with the need—those using our services, getting connected—and connect them with initiatives and individuals who are eager to support.
It’s really about enabling both sides: we see so many people outside Gaza who are heartbroken and deeply want to help, but feel powerless. The truth is, there are so many ideas out there, ideas that could be implemented if only there were the infrastructure and network to make them happen. We want to be that enabler: to make those ideas real and to make sure the people in Gaza benefit directly from them. That’s where we’re headed. And, we also know that, even if there is a ceasefire soon—which we all hope for—there’s going to be a massive amount of work ahead, especially in terms of reconstruction. The need for this kind of support is not going away anytime soon. Personally, I believe this can be a foundational starting point–something that grows into a long-term support community that continues for years to come.
JS: How can the public support you?
MM: I think the first and most important way is, of course, donations and funding. That’s the main source that allows us to keep Gaza connected. People can donate directly through our website, and we operate under a fiscal sponsor that gives 501(c)(3) status in the U.S., so donations are tax deductible, which is nice.
The second way is by spreading the word: sharing the value we are creating for people in Gaza–everything we have talked about today, from connectivity to creating opportunities. It really helps when people amplify that story. And as we move toward launching a broader platform that enables others to support people in Gaza directly, staying connected with us and sharing these updates will be really valuable.
Third, and this is a big one for us, is offering time or skills. We are a very small team, and we often find ourselves juggling a lot–managing different platforms, maintaining our social media, and more. So help in those areas can make a big difference. For example, we’re currently in need of someone with strong UX design skills. But really, any kind of professional support–design, development, communications–can go a long way.
We love when people reach out and say, “Hey, I’d love to help” and we do our best to find ways to make use of that generosity. So those are the three biggest ways I’d say people can support us: donate, spread the word, and pitch in with skills if they can.
JS: That’s awesome. Thinking about our project, something that we at Crips for eSIMS for Gaza have been doing is offering a more sustainable way for disabled people around the world to support Gazans in Palestine. The global call to protest, march, and blockade weapons manufacturing facilities are all really, really important, but they’re also inaccessible for a lot of people, especially those who are bedbound, or homebound, for disabled people who experience long COVID, who can’t leave the home very often for one reason or another or can’t do strenuous physical activity. People have felt empowered to support something that they know is going directly to the people on the ground. So—and you talked about sustainable development as well. How do you imagine or envisage Gaza Online becoming a more sustainable way for Gazans to access the internet and beyond? But also, how do you think about the sustainability of these movements in general, for Palestine and Gaza?
MM: The sustainability of this movement—I think it really ties back to what I was just talking about. It really comes down to a paradigm shift. What happened in this period of crisis–the initial trigger was immediate response, but when you step back, you see there’s a much deeper problem. And addressing this problem isn’t something you solve in a few months or even a couple of years. It takes time, effort, and reorientation of priorities. To be honest, Gaza Online started out as a side project for me. I have a full-time job. I’m a father with two kids. It is something I was doing in the margins of my life. But what I’ve come to realize is that something like this should be a life-long goal. And once you shift your mindset in that direction, the way forward becomes much clearer. So, at Gaza Online, we started with something very simple: providing eSIMs so people remain connected. So they can message their loved ones on WhatsApp, stay in touch with the outside world—that alone carries a lot of emotional and practical value. But that’s just the beginning.
The question is: how do we take that small, humble effort—and it is humble, especially in the face of such a massive catastrophe—and build on it to create something more sustainable?
One area I think about is education. So many students are now cut off—schools and universities are shut down, their academic paths interrupted. But if you invest in reconnecting them, even with something as simple as internet access, you’re giving them the tools to build their own futures. That’s where the long-term impact starts. You just need to set your mindset on that goal and keep walking in that direction.
Something I often remind myself—and I think it’s worth reminding others too—is that we’ve woken up to the fact that a lot of the world’s problems are not new.
Some of them have been ongoing for 70 or 80 years. And fixing them requires more than just passion—it requires structure.
That’s why I believe the next step is institutionalizing this kind of movement. Taking the energy, the urgency, and the solidarity we’ve seen, and channeling it into systems that last. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do with Gaza Online: to build a sustainable structure that empowers others, and keeps enabling people in Gaza—not just today, but for years to come.
And while right now our focus is on Gaza, this approach of connecting people and sustaining movements has the potential to grow and be applied more broadly.
JS: Absolutely.
MM: Another thing to add—since you mentioned people who are homebound or can’t go out—is that this is exactly what we’re trying to enable. Connectivity opens up a world of possibility, and most of the work I do for Gaza Online happens right here, from my desk. I didn’t need to go anywhere. [chuckles] Just me and my laptop. There’s so much we can do without being physically present—no need to be in the streets, or fly across the world.
You can contribute from the comfort of your own home, maybe with your favorite drink next to you, in your own time zone. [laughs] And it still counts. It still makes a difference. I think, globally, we actually learned that lesson during COVID. That distance doesn’t mean disconnection. So let’s carry that forward. Let’s use the tools and knowledge we’ve gained to empower more people—to build movements that are accessible by design. Ultimately, it comes down to setting our direction clearly—knowing what our North Star is—and continuing to build toward it, one step at a time. And when you do that, things do start to happen. Changing the world isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible either. It just takes persistence and focus.
JS: Having a North star, that’s a beautiful image. So to reflect what you just said, eSIM technology access has allowed the world to stay connected to Gazans, Gazans to stay connected to each other. All vital things that they need to do survive and live in these difficult times. It mirrors the way that disabled people experience the internet as well, alongside mobility and assistive devices. And so, your project reminds me of what can happen when the people take tech back into their own hands, building infrastructure to meet their needs and serve their people. So I’m curious: what can developers, tech workers, and engineers–especially those designing for disability and access in the West—learn from Gaza and Palestine?
MM: When it comes to that, there’s honestly a lot—a lot to learn. I personally find the situation in Gaza deeply sad, but also incredibly inspiring. For the past several months, people have been displaced, constantly on the move, with little to no access to hospitals or even clean water. And yet, they’ve managed not just to survive, but to live. Even in the darkest moments, when you watch the videos, you see endurance, confidence—even joy. They use whatever tools they have to make a cup of tea, to connect with each other, to hold onto some sense of normal life.
That kind of resourcefulness and creativity is something we can all learn from. Especially here in the West, we sometimes lock ourselves into these big systems—we think we need massive infrastructure, layers of regulations, or big corporate solutions to make any kind of impact. But the truth is, you don’t. One of the biggest lessons is: keep it simple. When it comes to technology—my background is technical—it’s tempting to chase complexity: AI, machine learning, all the buzzwords. But solutions don’t need to be high-tech to be effective. It really starts with identifying the need.
Especially when designing for disability or access, the starting point should always be: What is the problem? What do people need? What resources do we already have, and how can we repurpose those resources to meet the need? Start small. Maybe you’re just trying to help one friend, or a small group of people with a specific need. That’s enough. That mindset—focused, grounded, and creative—is what unlocks real solutions. That’s what we’ve seen over and over again in Gaza.
And for those of us who do have access to resources, infrastructure, and global networks—we have even more room to build, recreate, and repurpose. It just takes reframing: you don’t need perfection or scale from the beginning. Just start. Focus on the real need. Repurpose something you already have. And build from there. That’s what I’ve learned watching people in Gaza. Every time I see them, I’m honestly blown away. I think, “If I were in their place, even for a week, I’d probably be in despair.” But they keep going. They keep building. They keep showing up. And I think that spirit—that grounded creativity and refusal to give up—is what we all need more of. It gives us space to move, space to create, and space to fix real problems.
JS: Yes, Gaza is definitely teaching us more about humility, perseverance, and perhaps helping us appreciate the things we are already doing for each other–mutual aid, community care, flexibility–that can help us through crises. And it also reminds me of the principles of disability justice.
I’m curious—in line with that, more and more conversations within these movements in the West and beyond, including through campaigns like No Tech for Apartheid–are happening about the need for Big Tech, and tech in general, to divest from Israel, genocide, and weapons manufacturing. What has it been like working within tech and telecommunications in the diaspora in this kind of context? Do you feel hopeful about the future of tech?
MM: That’s a difficult question to answer—very difficult, to be honest. Especially at a time like this. Generally speaking, what I’ve always loved about tech is its openness. When you look at the world of open-source, there’s so much enthusiasm—people genuinely want to contribute, to build, to share. And the truth is, most of what we rely on, even in private companies, is open-source. From the programming languages we write in, to the frameworks we build on—this whole ecosystem was born out of the idea of making knowledge and tools available to everyone. So in that sense, tech has always felt like a space moving toward democratization. Making things more accessible, breaking down barriers. But at the same time, you have this very powerful opposing force—driven by capitalism—that seeks to consolidate control. That wants to own everything, gatekeep everything.
We’ve seen this play out with AI. It started in open-source communities, but then quickly moved behind closed doors. And yet, what’s interesting is the global pushback. There’s a wave of competition and innovation that challenges those closed models—and that’s what brings hope. You start to see new tools emerge, new models become accessible, and suddenly that same technology is back in people’s hands again. It’s not a clean or easy process. There’s a real tension: on one side, systems of control and exclusion; on the other, people—especially in marginalized communities—finding creative ways to reclaim and repurpose tech for their own needs. But the competition, the creativity, the resilience—that’s what gives me hope.
Another thing I’ve been noticing is the rise of small startups. Individuals with no major backing, just a good idea and the will to solve a problem. And some of these efforts are succeeding—gaining traction, making a difference. So while Big Tech still holds most of the resources, it no longer holds all the power. Not completely. And that’s an important shift. We’re also seeing more people without engineering backgrounds stepping into this space—building tools, launching platforms, creating solutions. That’s powerful. It tells me that the future of tech doesn’t belong only to corporations or experts—it belongs to communities, to people with lived experience, to those who are driven by purpose. So no, I can’t give a definitive answer about where tech is headed. There’s still a lot of struggle, and a lot of harm. But overall, I am hopeful. I see the people around me, I see what we’re building together, and I do believe we’re moving toward a future where more of us have access, agency, and control over the technologies we use. So yeah—let’s remain hopeful. [chuckles]
JS: That’s awesome and really re-assuring insight (despite my own sense of Black Mirror-esque doom that makes me want to throw my phone away forever, haha). So, I feel like you answered this question, but I’ll ask it anyway.
Ali Abdel-Wahab, in a policy brief in Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network, writes, “The Israeli regime exercises extensive control over Gaza’s digital landscape through a multifaceted strategy that limits Palestinians’ ability to stay connected to one another and the outside world. This Israeli reign over Gaza’s digital landscape is achieved by keeping technological advancements to a minimum, systematically destroying telecommunications infrastructure, obstructing repairs, and manipulating connectivity to serve its interest.”
What would it take, and what kind of global pressures, including those in tech and telecommunications, do you feel would challenge this status quo?
MM: Heh. This is—[chuckles]
JS: Sorry! [chuckles]
MM: [laughs] Yeah… this question is definitely bigger than me. [chuckles] It’s hard to answer fully from where I stand.
JS: Yeah, for sure.
MM: What I can say is: even with all of that—the systematic destruction, the restrictions, the attempts to isolate Gaza digitally—we’ve still found ways to connect people. And to me, that’s where I focus my energy. I don’t spend too much time thinking about the forces trying to cut off access. Instead, I try to solve the problem with whatever resources I have in front of me. On a global level, how to fully dismantle that system of control? I honestly don’t know the complete answer. But I do believe that public pressure matters. The more people raise their voices, especially those in the tech world, and push their governments and institutions to take a stand—to apply pressure, to challenge these injustices—the more possible change becomes. So while I can’t map out the ultimate solution, I believe that consistent, informed pressure—especially from within the industries that enable or resist this control—can begin to shift things. That, at least, is a starting point.
JS: Absolutely. In my article, “When the Poem is a Spreadsheet: Joining Crips for eSIMS for Gaza and Connecting Gaza,” I write, “If poets and engineers have something in common, it’s that we build things out of disparate parts, find the most efficient use of language and machines, or technology, so we can live.” Do you have any favourite Palestinian poems or poets that inspire you, or keep you grounded?
MM: Yeah, of course. When it comes to poetry—especially in Arabic—my favorite poet is Tamim al-Barghouti. And his father, Mourid al-Barghouti, as well. [chuckles] Both of them are incredible voices.
JS: Yeah.
MM: In terms of a specific poem, there’s one by Tamim al-Barghouti that really speaks to the current moment. It begins:
نفسي الفداء لكل منتصر حزين
قتل الذين يحبهم
إذ كان يحمي الآخرين
يحمي بشبر تحت رجليه اتزان العقل
معنى العدل في الدنيا على إطلاقه
يحمي البرايا أجمعين
حتى مماليك البلاد القاعدين
والحرب واعظة تنادينا
لقد سلم المقاتل
والذين بدُورهم قُتلوا
نعم هذا قضاء الله لكن
ربما سلموا إذا كان الجميع مقاتلين
I Give My Life in Devotion
by Tamim Al-Barghouti
I give my life in devotion
to every victor and his burdened cries
who, while shielding the rest of us,
must watch his loved ones die.
With but an inch of earth beneath his feet,
he balances the entire scale,
the very meaning of justice in all possible worlds.
Soul of every soul, he protects them without fail
(even those idle kings on their rotting thrones);
he defends every universe, every breathing creature
in our world, in all possible worlds.
And War, that stern preacher,
calls to us: the fighter was spared,
while Death took those who
in their homes remained. Yes—
God willed it—but perhaps they too
might have lived,
had they lived as fighters.
MM: It’s a beautiful piece that speaks directly to the people of Gaza. It includes lines that reflect their steadfastness, their humanity, and their strength in the face of everything they’re going through. Tamim al-Barghouti is the one who consistently inspires me. Even in my own writing—I write a little, in Arabic, just small pieces—but his work always grounds and moves me. I’ll be sure to share it with you.
JS: Awesome, I’m so excited. Thanks so much for this conversation! Do you have anything else you’d like to share?
MM: There’s actually one more thing I keep forgetting to mention—and I don’t know why, because it’s really important. [chuckles] It’s our travel storefront. Basically, if someone is traveling and needs data while abroad, they can purchase an eSIM directly from the Gaza Online storefront, which is powered by our partner, Limitflex. What’s great about it is: you get the data you need for your trip, and at the same time, all proceeds go back to Gaza Online. That revenue is then used to fund eSIMs and connectivity solutions for people in Gaza. So, it’s not even a donation in the traditional sense—you’re just buying something you already need, but it ends up supporting the cause.
JS: Cool. And then they can also send in-kind eSIMs to you via the Limitflex Israel option, right?
MM: And yes, people can also send in-kind eSIMs through Limitflex using the Israel-based option if they want. But again, even just buying for your own travel needs is a meaningful way to help. It’s simple, practical, and makes a real impact.
JS: Oh, cool. That’s awesome. That’s really good to know. Cool. Thank you so much.
MM: Thanks again, Jane, for having me. This was a really lovely conversation.
eSIMS that Crips for eSIMs for Gaza has purchased from Gaza Online’s travel front store:
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