Palestinians abroad voiced their allegations against Microsoft for unfairly shutting down their email accounts, a move they argue has severed valuable connections to online services essential for their daily lives.

BBC reported that the affected individuals lament that the sudden account closures have not only cut off access to bank accounts and job opportunities but have also hindered their ability to use Skype, which Microsoft owns, to contact relatives in Gaza.

In the report, a Palestinian from Saudi Arabia was dismayed over the closure of his nearly two-decade-old email account, describing it as a severe disruption to his professional life. 

He also stated that losing access to Skype has also deeply impacted his family's ability to stay connected following ongoing internet disruptions caused by the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

Another Palestinian in the United States recounted similar experiences of being abruptly locked out of his Microsoft Hotmail account, leaving him frustrated and questioning the rationale behind the decision. His sentiment was echoed by another Palestinian, who voiced distrust towards Microsoft after being banned from using services he had paid for, solely on the grounds of being Palestinian calling Gaza.

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Internet Disruptions in Gaza

Last year, Al Jazeera reported that Gaza experienced intermittent internet outages and high costs for international calls during the conflict in Gaza. 

In response to inquiries regarding these account closures, Microsoft denied targeting users based on their calling region or destination but acknowledged that accounts may be blocked in response to suspected fraudulent activities. 

However, they did not directly address political bias or discrimination allegations in their enforcement actions.

Many affected Palestinians believe their account closures are unjustified and suspect they are being unfairly targeted due to perceived ties to Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by multiple countries.

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