Gaza was a real, on-the-ground, de facto state 2005-2023 under Hamas. The only ground forces in Gaza were Hamas's; therefore, the only government was Hamas. And what did Hamas do with their power? Turn water pipes into rockets, and build attack tunnels replete with electrical systems rather than building civilian infrastructure. Rather than reciprocating Israel's goodwill gesture by withdrawing from Gaza in 2005, Hamas did the opposite: ramped up attacks, so Israel justifiably ramped up its blockade, which turned Gaza effectively into a landlocked country, but an independent de facto on the ground nonetheless.