Hazem Balousha - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Hazem Balousha

Hazem Balousha is a Palestinian journalist based in Gaza City. He has worked as a news producer for BBC World Service, contributed to Deutsche Welle and has written for The Guardian, Al-Raya (Qatar) and other publications. He is the founder of the Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development (PICD). On Twitter: @iHaZeMi

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood party chief Saad al-Katatni (L) meets with Palestinian Hamas member Bassem Naim after his arrival through the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip November 19, 2012. REUTERS/Said Khatib/Pool (GAZA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) - RTR3AM7C

Hamas committed to unity deal despite Israeli pressure

Hazem Balousha

A young Palestinian poses for a photograph after participating in a military-style graduation ceremony at Fajer Al-Entesar (dawn of victory) summer camp, organised by the Hamas movement, in Gaza City June 19, 2014. Hamas stages dozens of military-style summer camps for young Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to prepare them to "confront any possible Israeli attack", organisers said. The writing on the wall is a verse from holy Koran that reads: "And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not beco

Despite reconciliation deal, Hamas controls Gaza

Hazem Balousha

Young Palestinians swim in a pool as they take part in a military-style exercise at a summer camp organized by the Hamas movement in Gaza City June 12, 2014. Hamas stages dozens of military-style summer camps for young Palestinians in Gaza strip to prepare them to confront any possible Israeli attack, organisers said. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3TFW5

Hamas summer camps for kids include military training

Hazem Balousha

Egyptians celebrate after the swearing-in ceremony of President elect Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, in front of the Presidential Palace in Cairo, June 8, 2014. Sisi promised to rule Egypt in an inclusive manner after he was sworn in as president on Sunday but gave no indication he would reconcile with the Muslim Brotherhood movement he removed from power nearly a year ago. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3SS6R

Hamas silent on Sisi's election

Hazem Balousha

Palestinians hold pictures of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (top) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as they celebrate the announcement of the unity government, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip June 2, 2014. President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a Palestinian unity government on Monday under a reconciliation deal with Hamas Islamists that led Israel to freeze U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Western-backed leader. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Hamas seeks to reclaim political influence via PLO

Hazem Balousha

A Palestinian man selling fruits and vegetables reads a copy of a pro-Hamas newspaper, Palestine, at a market in the West Bank city of Ramallah May 10, 2014. The Palestinian authority had allowed the distribution of the pro-Hamas Palestine newspaper in the West Bank on Saturday after the Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip said on Wednesday it had relaxed a ban on Palestinian newspapers published outside the enclave as a gesture of reconciliation to rival group Fatah after their unity deal last month. RE

Palestinian media adjusts to reconciliation deal

Hazem Balousha

Gifted Gaza child artist finds inspiration despite hardship

Hazem Balousha

Islamic jihad militants take part in the funeral of three comrades, who were killed in an Israeli air strike, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 11, 2014. An Israeli air strike on Tuesday killed three Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, the Islamic Jihad group said. The Israeli military said an Israeli aircraft targeted Islamic Jihad members who had fired a mortar bomb at its forces, and "direct hits were confirmed". REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3G

Islamic Jihad cautious on Palestinian reconciliation deal

Hazem Balousha

A Palestinian man reads a copy of Al-Quds newspaper in Gaza City May 7, 2014. The Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip relaxed on Wednesday a ban on distribution of Palestinian newspapers published outside the enclave, calling it a step toward implementing a unity deal with the rival Fatah group. The return of Al-Quds, the biggest-selling Palestinian daily in the occupied West Bank where President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah holds sway, was greeted enthusiastically by Gaza residents, who snapped up copies from

Palestinians seek to heal wounds from Hamas-Fatah clashes

Hazem Balousha

Palestinians hoping to cross into Egypt wait behind a barbed wire fence at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip March 29, 2014. Egyptian authorities partially reopened Rafah border crossing, Gaza's main window to the world, on Saturday for three days after 50 days of its closure, Palestinian border officials said. Since the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013, the authorities have largely kept the crossing closed, only opening it partially for limited periods o

Details emerge on Palestinian Gaza declaration

Hazem Balousha

Employees work on computers at Exalt Technologies, a company which deals in research and development outsourcing from Cisco and French-American group Lucent-Alcatel, in the West Bank city of Ramallah April 7, 2013. Fledgling Palestinian high-tech firms hope they can now help revitalise the economy, making the West Bank more resistant to Israeli controls on land and the movement of goods and people and less dependent on fickle foreign aid flows, which are blighting the public sector. Picture taken April 7,

Gaza IT industry bypasses economic crisis

Hazem Balousha

Islamic jihad militants take part in the funeral of three comrades, who were killed in an Israeli air strike, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 11, 2014. An Israeli air strike on Tuesday killed three Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, the Islamic Jihad group said. The Israeli military said an Israeli aircraft targeted Islamic Jihad members who had fired a mortar bomb at its forces, and "direct hits were confirmed". REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3G

Islamic Jihad members push for internal reform

Hazem Balousha