Distribution Policies

Effective Date: July 18, 2025

At Gaza Online, we are committed to distributing eSIMs in a way that ensures fairness and maximizes the efficient use of our resources. These policies are designed to preserve our capacity, promote equity, and serve as many people in Gaza as possible.

Core Policy

Each individual is entitled to one eSIM per account, ensuring fair distribution and equitable access. This policy helps us manage resources effectively while reaching as many people as possible.

All our services, including eSIMs, renewals, support, and refresh options, are provided free of charge to Gaza residents. For individuals visiting Gaza for a short period, eSIMs can be purchased via our affiliate website, travel.gaza.online. Proceeds from these purchases support our efforts to maintain connectivity in Gaza.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Palestinian Number Requirement:

   • eSIMs are provided to anyone in Gaza who holds a valid Palestinian phone number, regardless of their background or status.
   • An account is identified as a local number, irrespective of the country code used for WhatsApp. Residents in Gaza may use either +972 or +970, and both are treated equally and are considered one account.

2. Device and Network Requirements:

   • Applicants must specify the networks visible on their device, choosing from the available list in the request form.
   • If the applicant cannot identify their available networks, Gaza Online assigns an eSIM based on collected regional data to match the most compatible network.

3. Submission Platform:

   • All requests must be submitted via the official Gaza Online website: services.gaza.online.

4. WhatsApp Delivery Requirement:

   • eSIMs are delivered exclusively via WhatsApp. At this time, no other delivery methods (such as email, SMS, or other platforms) are supported.
   • Applicants must have an active WhatsApp account linked to their phone number at the time of delivery.
   • If an applicant does not have a WhatsApp account, their request will be deemed ineligible, and the request will be marked as invalid at delivery.

5. One Request at a Time:

   • Once a request is accepted and being processed, the individual is prevented from submitting any new requests until the first request is concluded. This ensures fairness and avoids duplication.

6. Individual-Level Requests:

   • Gaza Online only deals with individuals.
   • Even requests submitted through our partners are processed and fulfilled at the individual level to maintain fairness and accountability.

Request Processing

1. First-Come, First-Served:

   • Requests are processed chronologically, as resources allow, with priority based on the availability of donations and supplier eSIMs.

2. Network-Based Assignment:

   • If a compatible eSIM is available for the networks specified in the request, it will be assigned regardless of its type, brand, or package.
   • If no network data is provided, assignments are made based on Gaza Online's regional compatibility data.

3. Preferences Considered but Not Guaranteed:

   • While applicant preferences for specific eSIM types or packages are noted, the final assignment depends on factors such as supplier availability, in-kind donations, and resource constraints.

Prioritization Tiers

To ensure the most urgent needs are addressed, requests are divided into three queues.

1. General Public:

   • Open to all eligible individuals in Gaza.

2. Tagged Profiles:

   • This category includes high-priority individuals identified by Gaza Online, such as distant learners, remote workers, journalists, medical staff, or first responders.

3. Partner Requests:

   • Reserved for vetted organizations and initiatives that have formal collaboration agreements with Gaza Online.

Partner requests are given the highest priority, followed by tagged profiles, and then the general public. Each queue operates on a first-come, first-served basis within its category.

Subscription Policies

Gaza Online offers two types of subscriptions to ensure fair usage and efficient resource management: Limited Subscriptions and Renewable Subscriptions. Each is governed by three key periods.

• Subscription Period: The time defined by Gaza Online during which the eSIM is considered active for the recipient.
• Validity Period: The time determined by the eSIM provider during which the eSIM remains active.
• Eligibility Period: The minimum waiting period before the recipient can apply for a new eSIM.

1. Limited Subscriptions

   Limited subscriptions are categorized by the data package size and validity period provided by the supplier.

   Categories

   • 7 Days Subscription: Packages under 10GB.
   • 15 Days Subscription: Packages between 10GB and 15GB.
   • 30 Days Subscription: Packages exceeding 15GB.

   Key Guidelines

   • Recipients may use the eSIM for the full validity period.
   • New requests can only be submitted after the subscription period ends.
   • The subscription period may be dynamically extended based on data utilization to ensure no data goes to waste. Beneficiaries will be notified when such an extension occurs.

   Examples

   • A 5GB eSIM with 45 days validity may have a subscription period of 7 days and an eligibility period of 7 days.
   • A 100GB eSIM with 3 days validity has both a subscription period and eligibility period of 3 days.

2. Renewable Subscriptions

   Renewable subscriptions provide long-term connectivity with monthly renewal options.

   Key Guidelines

   • Subscription Period: 30 days from the date of activation or renewal.
   • Eligibility Period: 23 days from activation or renewal, during which no replacement or new eSIM requests can be made.
   • Validity Period: Typically open-ended or linked to the monthly renewal cycle.

   Renewal Policies

   • Renewal requests are accepted starting 3 days before the expiry date and extend to anytime after the subscription has expired.
   • Recipients must submit renewal requests within this timeframe to avoid interruptions.
   • Renewal requests must be submitted via services.gaza.online.
   • If a replacement request for this subscription was submitted and is being processed, no renewal requests will be accepted.

   Replacement Policies

   • Replacement requests must be submitted via services.gaza.online.
   • Recipients cannot request a replacement during the 23-day eligibility period tied to their subscription.
   • If a renewal request is already being processed, no replacement requests will be accepted.
   • If the original subscription remains compatible with the reciepent's available networks, Gaza Online prioritizes keeping the existing subscription over issuing a new eSIM.
   • Replacement assignments are subject to resource availability and may result in a different eSIM type or package.
   • Based on data utilization monitoring, low-utilized renewable eSIMs may be automatically replaced with more cost-efficient options that meet beneficiaries’ needs while ensuring fair and efficient resource allocation.

   Ownership Policies

   • Renewable eSIMs are tied to the individual account and cannot be shared.
   • Ownership transfers are allowed but require explicit consent from both the current and new owners. Additionally, the transfer is contingent upon the new account meeting the eligibility criteria.
   • Transfers must be requested through Gaza Online support and are subject to verification.
   • If an ownership transfer is processed and the original owner submits a new eSIM request, it will be prioritized according to the general requests section. No higher priority will be assigned in this case.

Preventing Abuse

To ensure fair and equitable access, the following rules are enforced:

• One eSIM per Account: Each individual is eligible for only one active eSIM at a time. Repeated attempts to bypass the one-eSIM policy may lead to disqualification from future services.
• Hotspot Usage Encouraged: Recipients are encouraged to use the hotspot feature on their eSIM-enabled device to share connectivity with others.

Conclusion

These policies reflect Gaza Online's commitment to fairness, efficiency, and transparency in distributing eSIMs. By adhering to these guidelines, we can ensure that our resources are used effectively to connect and empower as many people in Gaza as possible.

Gaza Online reserves the right to modify or update these policies as needed to adapt to changing circumstances on the ground or to improve the efficiency and fairness of our services.