Hundreds of Gazan citizens from across the coastal strip have begun to demonstrate against continued Hamas rule.
By Rachel Avraham
In recent days, hundreds of Gazan citizens marched in the northern town of Beit Lahiya carrying white flags, calling to end the Hamas rule, and even calling to hand over the Israeli hostages, the Jerusalem Post reported. According to the report, the protests took place in front of the Indonesian Hospital in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
According to various reports in the media, slogans shouted in the protest included “Out out out! Hamas out!” and “Where is the press?” and “We want to live!” Signs held by protesters included slogans such as “We refuse to be the ones who die” and “Stop the war.”
Hours after the first protest, the Times of Israel reported that another anti-war and anti-Hamas demonstration was held in northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, with dozens of demonstrators burning tires and chanting, “We want to eat.” As news of the protests spread, the Times of Israel reported that other demonstrations broke out across Gaza, including one in the major southern city of Khan Younis, where protesters were filmed chanting “down with Hamas,” and calling for an end to the fighting.
In Deir al-Balah, Arutz Sheva reported that demonstrators waved banners with messages such as: “We want to live,” “The masked men will never control me,” “Stop the destruction,” “For the sake of Allah, get Hamas out!” “Enough with the lies.”
According to Arutz Sheva, thousands marched in Nuseirat and chanted “Hamas get out!” and “No, no to Al-Jazeera, the people are the truth.” According to the report, a banner was raised in Shejaiya with the inscription: “Hamas does not represent us.”
One Gazan resident told Arutz Sheva: “We have to put an end to Hamas. They are not the resistance – the residents are the resistance, while the Hamas leadership lives comfortably abroad.”
“The people are demanding the press to cover these events!” one of the protesters told the Jerusalem Post. “People are demanding freedom, they’re demanding a halt to the hostilities against Gaza, they’re demanding peace and an end to this war.” One of them said, “The press entered the hospital so as to not document this event.”
“Hamas is demanding our people to remain steadfast,” another protester declared. “But how can we remain steadfast when we’re dying and bleeding? Hamas must stop what is happening in Gaza… We’re sending a message to the entire world: We reject the rule of Hamas.”
“I don’t know who organized the protest,” said Mohammed, a demonstrator who spoke to the Times of Israel. “I took part to send a message on behalf of the people: Enough with the war,” he said, adding that he had seen “members of the Hamas security force in civilian clothing breaking up the protest.” Majdi, another protester who spoke to the Times of Israel, said the “people are tired. If Hamas leaving power in Gaza is the solution, why doesn’t Hamas give up power to protect the people?”
In reaction to the mass protests against Hamas in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told JNS: “In recent days, we have seen something we have never seen before—public protests against Hamas rule in Gaza. This shows that our policy is working.”
“Learn from the residents of Beit Lahiya: Demand the removal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages – this is the only way to stop the war,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated in response to the recent developments, thus encouraging the Gazan people to continue with the protests.
