We Want to Live movement

The We Want to Live movement (Arabic: بدنا نعيش, romanized: Bidna Na'eesh) is a grassroots youth movement in the Gaza Strip calling for increased economic opportunity and the removal of Hamas from power.^[1] The movement was founded in March 2019, giving rise to the 2019 Gaza economic protests.^[2] It is not connected to any one political party,^[3] and some sources have connected the movement to the Arab Spring of the early 2010s.^[4]

Goals

The movement is responding to multiple issues, broadly defined as economic disenfranchisement, such as unemployment rates and increased taxes.^[4] Other issues of concern include the competency of leadership, electricity shortages, access to drinking water, food insecurity, access to education, and freedom of speech.^{[citation needed]}

History

The movement began in March 2019, as part of the 2019 Gaza economic protests. The group's Facebook page quickly gained several thousand followers.^[5] Initially, the movement was critical of Hamas, but did not call for its ousting, fearing that it would be an impossible demand.^[6] Instead, they focused on material changes such as reduced taxation and lower prices of necessities, as well as a Fatah–Hamas reconciliation and new elections.^[6][7] Multiple organizers of the movement, including Palestinian lawyer Moumen Al-Natour,^{[citation needed]} were arrested and detained, charged with "collaborating with hostile foreign entities, in violation of domestic law". Several were referred to military courts.^[8] After lobbying and popular and international advocacy campaigns, Al-Natour was released.^{[citation needed]}

In 2020, one of the group's leaders, Suleiman al-Ajouri, committed suicide.^[9] The movement's Facebook page posted about the event, connecting al-Ajouri's suicide directly to the economic disenfranchisement of Gaza's youth.^[10] Four of al-Ajouri's friends were arrested following his funeral, due to their connections to the movement; several journalists reporting on his death were also arrested.^[9]

In November 2021, the group again gained traction online following the drowning of three Gazan migrants attempting to reach Greece, and reports of Hamas leadership leading lavish lifestyles.^[2] This continued in July 2022, with protesters sharing videos online of Gazans living in poverty and residents in physical confrontations with Hamas security forces.^[11]

In late July and early August 2023, the movement again led in-person protests in response to the accidental killing of a man by authorities in Khan Yunis.^[12][13][14] Hamas responded to the protests with increased security, and arrested several demonstrators and journalists covering the demonstrations.^[13][14]

Response

Over a thousand Gazans were detained by Hamas.^[7] Hamas has attempted to downplay the movement by claiming that its leadership are Israeli or part of the Palestinian Authority.^[2][15] When addressing physical demonstrations, Hamas has used arrests and excessive force.^[13] Participants who have been arrested have been subject to torture.^[1] One protester reporting losing his eyesight following repeated interrogations.^[16]

Hamas has also intimidated journalists and confiscated their equipment to deter reporting on the movement or its protests.^[17]

The movement has received support from the Palestine Liberation Organization.^[4][14]