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Jun 19, 2026
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Gaza Tech Incubator Defies Israel's War

AI Summary
The UCAS Technology Incubator in Gaza, once a vibrant hub for innovation and startups, was reduced to rubble in August 2024 after Israeli attacks. Despite the devastating losses, the incubator has launched a recovery plan to restore core programs and launch new workspaces.

The Devastating Impact of Israel's War on Gaza's Tech Sector

The devastating fallout of Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip has extended far beyond the destruction of homes and basic services. More than two and a half years of violence have obliterated Gaza's economy – including the technology and entrepreneurship sector, a vital lifeline that once provided thousands of graduates with a window of hope amid mass unemployment and Israel's years-long blockade.

A Hub of Innovation Destroyed

Abdallah al-Tahrawi, director of the UCAS Technology Incubator, told Al Jazeera that the centre was established 13 years ago to invest in Palestinian youth and foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship to support economic development.

The incubator – the name given to organisations that foster tech startups and entrepreneurs – has supported more than 500 young tech professionals and hosted dozens of projects focused on information technology, food manufacturing, commerce, and creative industries.

The Systematic Targeting of IT Experts

The loss of human capital has been devastating and, according to human rights monitors, deliberate. The Israeli army has systematically targeted dozens of programmers, IT experts, and computer engineers during its genocidal campaign.

According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, the Israeli military has killed hundreds of intellectuals and experts in the blockaded enclave. That number includes Tariq Thabet, the director of the UCAS Technology Incubator Programs, who was killed on October 31, 2023, in an Israeli air strike that also killed his wife, children, and parents.

Derailed Dreams and Digital Resilience

The widespread destruction of training centres, coupled with frequent power and internet blackouts, has brought much of Gaza's entrepreneurial momentum to a halt.

But UCAS is still continuing its efforts, and now operates from a rented location in Gaza City. Mohammed al-Safadi, a computer professor lecturer in the 'e-Lancer' tech capacity-building project funded by the UCAS incubator, emphasised that the material losses have been compounded by the derailment of hundreds of young careers.