Gas correspondent
AFPHundreds of people have participated in the biggest protest against Hamas in Gaza since the beginning of the war with Israel, taking out the street to require the group to withdraw from power.
Hamas fighters masked, some armed with weapons, while others, bearing sticks, intervened and forcibly scattered the protesters, attacked several of them.
Videos, widely shared on social media by activists who are usually critical of Hamas, have shown that young men marching on the streets of Bate Lahia, Northern Gas on Tuesday, chanting “outside, out, Hamas out.”
Proponents of Pro-Hamas defended the group, downplayed the importance of the demonstrations and accused participants in traitors. Hamas is yet to comment.
Protests in Northern Gaza came a day after Islamic Jihad artillery launched missiles in Israel, which made an Israeli decision evacuate large parts of Bate Lahia, which caused public anger in the area.
Israel has resumed its military campaign in Gaza after nearly two months of ending fire, accusing Hamas of rejecting a new proposal in the United States for expanding the truce. Hamas, for his part, accused Israel of abandoning the original transaction agreed in January.
Hundreds of Palestinians were killed and thousands of displaced as Israeli military operations resumed air strikes on March 18.
One of the protesters, Bate Lahia's resident Mohammed Diab, destroyed her home in the war and lost his brother in an Israeli air strike a year ago.
“We refuse to die for everyone, for the agenda of any party or interests of foreign countries,” he said.
“Hamas must withdraw and listen to the voice of grief, the voice that rises from under the ruins – this is the most real voice.”
Hamas has been the only ruler in Gaza since 2007 after winning the Palestinian election a year before and then forcibly pushes the rivals.
Footage from the city also showed that protesters were shouting “down with Hamas rule, down with the Muslim Brotherhood rule.”
Hamas has been the only ruler in Gaza since 2007 after winning the Palestinian election a year before and then forcibly pushes the rivals.
Open criticism of Hamas has grown into the gas since the beginning of the war, both on the streets and online, although there are still those who are brutally loyal and it is difficult to judge exactly how much support for the group has shifted.
AFPThere was an opposition to Hamas long before the war, though much of it remained hidden by fear of repression.
Mohammed Al-Nadjar, from Gaza, published on Facebook: “Excuse me, but what exactly is Hamas bets? They bet on our blood, blood that the whole world sees as just numbers.
“Even Hamas counts us as numbers. Give up and let's tend to our wounds.”
The Gaza War was caused by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, were killed and 251 others took hostages.
Israel responded to the attack with a military offensive in Gaza to destroy Hamas who has killed over 50,000 PalestiniansThe Ministry of Health, managed by Hamas, said.
The bigger part of the 2.1 million Gaza population has also been displaced, many of them several times.
Approximately 70% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed in gas, health, water and sewer systems have broken down and there is a shortage of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.