Gazans watch Israel’s war on Iran with a mix of hope, skepticism, and frustration
Palestinians mourn those killed in an Israeli airstrike outside the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, 3 June 2025
Tareq S. Hajjaj writes in Mondoweiss on 18 June 2025:
For once, residents of Gaza are seeing missiles streaking across the sky that are not aimed at them. As Israel launches strikes on Iran and Tehran responds with barrages of missiles, Palestinians in Gaza are closely monitoring the unfolding war with a sense of surrealism.
The sky over Gaza lights up at night as the Iranian missiles soar above the tents of the displaced. Crowds flooded the streets in joy, as if these missiles carried the end of their tragedy. They hold up their phones, trying to capture the moment. Some whistle, and for a brief moment, they forget the weight of the war.
Despite being consumed by daily hardships — from ongoing bombardment and mass casualties at aid sites, to continuing food shortages and widespread hunger — the escalation between Iran and Israel has ignited a debate among Gazans that reflects a deep divide over Iran’s role in the region.
Many in Gaza support Iran, viewing it as the only power bold enough to challenge Israel militarily. But others see Iran as a key contributor to Gaza’s devastation, given that it funded and armed the resistance factions in Gaza but failed to meaningfully intervene when it mattered most.
“Iran has always supported Hamas, both publicly and behind the scenes,” says Ayman Rahmi, a resident of Gaza City. “They provided rockets and technical know-how, and Hamas would always acknowledge this after each war. But where was Iran when Gaza was being destroyed? Why didn’t it strike Tel Aviv earlier to enforce a balance of destruction? If it had, Gaza might not have been obliterated, and its people wouldn’t be scattered in refugee camps.”