In a surprising turn of events, hundreds of people have taken to the streets in Gaza to take part in the largest anti-Hamas protest since the war with Israel began.
Videos shared widely on social media by activists typically critical of Hamas showed young men marching in the streets of Beit Lahia, northern Gaza on Tuesday, chanting “out, out, out, Hamas out”.
Masked Hamas militants, some armed with guns and others carrying batons, intervened and forcibly dispersed the protesters, assaulting several of them.
Hamas said it condemned those who it accused of pushing “suspicious political agendas” and shifting the blame from Israel.
Pro-Hamas supporters downplayed the significance of the protests and accused the participants of being traitors.
The protests in northern Gaza came a day after Islamic Jihad gunmen launched rockets at Israel, prompting an Israeli decision to evacuate large parts of Beit Lahia, which sparked public anger in the area.
Israel has resumed its military campaign in Gaza following nearly two months of ceasefire, blaming Hamas for rejecting a new US proposal to extend the truce. Hamas, in turn, has accused Israel of abandoning the original deal agreed in January.
Footage from the town also showed protesters shouting “down with Hamas rule, down with the Muslim Brotherhood rule”.
Palestinians in northern Gaza chanted anti-Hamas slogans in a rare show of opposition to the militant group.
Hamas, which has governed Gaza for almost two decades, has long quashed public displays of anger at its authority.
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Hamas has been the sole ruler in Gaza since 2007, after winning Palestinian elections a year prior and then violently ousting rivals.
Open criticism of Hamas has grown in Gaza since war began, both on the streets and online, though there are still those that are fiercely loyal and it is hard to accurately gauge how far support for the group has shifted.
Israeli defense minister Israel Katz urged Palestinians to continue protesting, calling on them to “demand the removal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages.”
The protests erupted amid a new wave of Israeli attacks following a collapse in ceasefire talks. Earlier this month, Israel intensified its blockade, halting all deliveries of food, fuel, and medicine to Gaza.
Israel has vowed to keep fighting until Hamas surrenders power, disarms, and releases the 59 hostages it still holds—24 of whom are believed to be alive. Hamas has refused, insisting on a complete Israeli withdrawal and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
The war between the two sides began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 251. Israel responded with a full-scale offensive, killing over 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The war has displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s population and left the entire region in ruins.
