Thousands of Palestinians protested against Hamas on Tuesday, calling for an end to the war against Israel and the release of Israeli hostages still in the militant group’s custody. Beleaguered Gazans took to the streets in multiple locations across the narrow coastal strip, including Beit Lahia, Jabalia refugee camps and parts of western Gaza City, asking Hamas to take immediate steps to bring peace.
The demonstrations, described by observers as the largest against Hamas since the conflict against Israel began on October 7, 2023, marked an unprecedented display of dissent in the Gaza Strip where the militant group has long suppressed political opposition, often violently.
The protests are taking place as civilians in Gaza appear overwhelmed by exhaustion and trauma from nearly 17 months of Israeli onslaught. Social media posts indicate more protests are likely today. In Beit Lahia, near the Indonesian hospital, around 100 residents gathered, waving signs reading "Stop war" and "Children in Palestine want to live". Videos circulating on social media showed bigger crowds, estimated by news agencies to number in the thousands, chanting "Hamas out" and "Hamas terrorists". In Jabalia, dozens burned tyres and shouted, "We want to eat", reflecting the dire humanitarian crisis gripping the enclave.
Hamas, which has governed Gaza since violently seizing control in 2007 after winning elections the previous year, faces mounting public anger. The protests were sparked in part by Israel’s resumption of intense bombing in northern Gaza, following a nearly two-month truce that collapsed recently. The health ministry in Gaza reported that at least 792 Palestinians have been killed since the latest military operations began, pushing the total death toll past 50,000 as of Sunday.
After Islamic Jihad, an allied militant group, fired rockets into Israel, the army asked to evacuate large swathes of Beit Lahia, further inflaming local discontent. Demonstrators echoed slogans from the 2019 “Bidna N’eesh” (“We Want to Live”) movement, which Hamas had previously crushed, accusing its rival Fatah of orchestration. This time, however, the protests appeared spontaneous, with one participant telling AFP, “I don’t know who organised it—I joined to say enough with the war.” Social media, including Telegram, amplified calls for action, with messages urging Gazans to hold more demonstrations to denounce Hamas and its allies.
Hamas’s response has been swift and brutal. Masked men, some wielding guns and batons, dispersed the crowds, assaulting several protesters. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas security forces in civilian clothing breaking up the Beit Lahia gathering. Pro-Hamas supporters dismissed the protests as insignificant and branded participants traitors, while the group itself has yet to issue an official statement.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened dramatically, with the United Nations reporting no food, water, medicine or fuel entering the territory since Israel tightened its siege on March 2 to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages. An estimated 70 per cent of buildings lie in ruins and essential systems including health care, water and sanitation have collapsed completely. Israel, which has called on Gazans to rise against Hamas, accuses the group of diverting aid to bolster its military efforts, a charge Hamas denies.