The daily lives of Palestinians have long been racked by occupation, apartheid, and systemic violence, culminating in the devastation currently unfolding in Gaza. Even before the escalation of events on October 7 of last year, the realities of living under Israeli oppression were a punishing testimony to the inhumanity of settler colonialism. In the following interview, conducted shortly before the Gaza genocide began, Israeli journalist Amira Hass provides a thorough account of the oppressive structures and brutal conditions that Palestinians have endured for decades.

From military raids and the destruction of vital infrastructure to the labyrinthine and corrupt system of work permits, closure, and checkpoints, Hass describes the crushing weight of Israel’s control over even the most workaday aspects of life, forcing Palestinians to navigate a system designed to dehumanize and dispossess.