Palestinians in Gaza step up their protests against Hamas

GAZA CITY – Day by day, protests against Hamas are gaining momentum in Gaza, as demonstrators call for the militant group to withdraw from the enclave. Chanting slogans demanding an end to the war, they have taken to the streets in growing numbers, despite the risks of repression. 

Public demonstrations against Hamas are unusual in Gaza, where the group has maintained strict control since seizing power in 2007. In previous instances, such as the 2018 protests, Hamas was accused by Human Rights Watch of violently suppressing dissent. However, years of war and hardship appear to have pushed many Palestinians in Gaza to their breaking point. 

Initially, the protests were small and spontaneous, with videos surfacing on social media in secrecy. But in recent days, demonstrators have grown bolder, organizing public rallies and openly voicing their demands. 

Protesters have called on Hamas to withdraw from Gaza, declaring they will no longer live as “hostages” under the group’s rule. They also rejected continued warfare and expressed their opposition to the presence of Al Jazeera’s reporters in the enclave, questioning the absence of journalists covering their demonstrations for the outside world. “We want to live on our land with dignity,” one protester said. 

Now in their fourth consecutive day, the demonstrations have varied in size across different cities. Reports on the number of participants have been inconsistent, but some estimates suggest that more than 10,000 people have taken part in the protests.