Was/Is Gaza an Open-Air Prison? Yes and No

Walter E. Block | Jan 19, 2025

Why the “was/is” in the title of this essay. That is because there are two time periods for which this question can apply. First, before and up to the present date, 1/19/2025, when Israel had some significant control over Gaza thanks to the treaty between the only civilized country in the Middle East and the barbarians. Second, from this day hence, when the IDF will leave this enclave, and Hamas will take over complete control of it.

I. Up to the date of the implementation of the Peace Accord

First, the case for the yes side.

Yes, it cannot be denied, goods flowing into and out of Gaza are highly regulated, both from the Israeli and Egyptian sides of that territory, in the manner suitable for a detention center.

There are no bars, or barbed wire surrounding that terrain, hence the “open-air” characterization of “open-air prison” is justified. Some few of the inmates are indeed allowed to work in Israel; those are, in effect, akin to the “trustees” of a penitentiary. The doings of the inmates of Gaza are subject to scrutiny, again just like the case of a reformatory. Gaza resembles a borstall in several other ways as well: the jailbirds are not free to roam outside of the penitentiary at their own discretion. Yes, sometimes, for medical reasons they are allowed outside (courtesy of Israeli hospitals) but this is hardly a widespread practice. But when they are, armed guards, just as in a jail, strictly scrutinize this movement of people.

Given that Gaza in numerous dimensions resembles nothing so much as an Open-Air Prison, why is this the case? There is a good and sufficient reason for this state of affairs. Under Hamas, the concrete and iron sent into that territory, presumably aimed for consumer construction, instead find their way into tunnels, the purpose of which is to murder Israelis. In all the years since 2005 when Israel fully vacated that area, virtually no peacetime construction has taken place. Interdiction and regulation of imports, then, is a matter of self-defense for Israel.

This prison-like status is due to the fact that the Gazans richly deserve such a situation. Israel, apart from its socialist background, is in many ways the Hong Kong of the Middle East. The Israelis wished no lesser of a status for the Gazans. Jews were compelled to leave this area in 2005, leaving it totally under the control of Palestinians. Cement was allowed to be imported into this region for the purposes of constructing homes, offices, shopping malls, factories, etc. Instead, these building materials were diverted into the manufacture of tunnels beneath the border of Gaza and Israel to facilitate the attacks of Hamas fighters to wreak mayhem on innocent citizens of the country to the east.  Pipes were sent to Gaza for the purposes of better plumbing. These objects were used, instead, as bombs and other weapons. Much is said in behalf of the Jews vis a vis the Arabs when it comes to invention and innovation; but fair is fair; we much give credit to Hamas and its allies for at least one set of technological improvements: suicide vests.

Given that it is a prison, these people richly deserve to be in jail. (What about their innocent children? Sometimes, when children have no other place to go, they are allowed to stay incarcerated along with their guilty parents).

What is the “No” side of the question as to whether Gaza is an Open-Air Prison or not? Here is the case for the negative.

Gaza is not now an Open-Air Prison. It is, instead, a charnel house. It is a penitentiary alright, for reasons mentioned above, but it is one in which the guards are now busily attempting to shoot some of the prisoners. They are indeed trying to safeguard the hostages held by the prisoners (both Jewish and Arab), but those prisoners are well armed, unlike any jail that ever existed. Indeed, Gaza is not at all a prison, given that the inmates have weapons.

How, then, are we to account for this present state of affairs? Have the Israelis gone berserk, invading a prison of their own devising, and shooting the inmates for no justification at all?

Not a bit of it. The well-deserved charnel house appellation stems from the fact that on October 7, 2023 numerous Hamas soldiers executed a massive atrocity upon innocent Israeli civilians, including women, children and elderly men. They engaged in rape, torture and other activities that even animals would not have undertaken. The “progressive” world, including the United Nations and many of the other “usual suspects” such as religious leaders, BLM, socialists of all types and varieties, the Arab League, are now calling for peace. They advocate the removal of the IDF from Gaza. This is supposedly for the purpose of negotiations. For, in effect, the return of Gaza to the open-air prison status that prevailed before this day of infamy.

What would be the effect if Israel were to accede to these pious, decent, lovely, wishes? That country would then be unique. No other nation in the world would respond to the horrendous incursion upon its population in any such manner. It would be seen, and properly so, as a country unwilling or unable to defend itself. It would invite more of the same from Hamas, Hezbollah and other “peaceful” actors in the Middle East.

Yes, it is now a charnel house, no longer the fully justified open-air prison that it once was, but a very, very well-deserved one.

How about before the infamy of October 7, 2003. Did Gaza resemble a prison then? Here is the no case for that state of affairs: they shot rockets out of their supposed prison, and onto the property of their supposed jailors, Israel. What kind of jailor, in the entire history of the world, allowed his prisoners access to weapons. None, that is. In what prison were the inmates allowed to vote for the political party (Hamas) they wished to represent them? None, that is. In what prison did the authorities ever allow the inmates freedom to buy and sell, to own property, to drive around in cars and motorcycles, to open groceries and restaurants? None, that is. To engage in commercial interactions of all sorts, completely unregulated by the prison authorities. We must answer in the same negative manner: none, that is. A prison? Don’t be silly.

II. The future, with Hamas in control

Here, there are no ands, ifs or buts. There is no yeses or noes. With Hamas in control, Gaza will now indeed become an outdoor prison, and an indoor one, too. There will be no democracy. This will become totalitarian rule by these terrorists. Anyone who speaks about against them will be dealt with summarily. The leopard does not change its spots.