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For the first time in weeks, rare protests erupted Wednesday evening in the Gaza Strip, with hundreds of residents in Beit Lahia demanding an end to Hamas rule and the ongoing war.
Demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Yes to unity, no to terror,” “We want to live in peace” and “Gaza is humiliated,” referencing senior Hamas officials Osama Hamdan and Mahmoud al-Zahar by name.
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Anti-Hamas protests erupt again in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza
Protesters also called for the reopening of border crossings, and children held signs reading, “We want to learn.” In an unusual development, clan elders — some affiliated with Hamas — were seen participating in the protest. According to eyewitnesses, Hamas sent members to redirect the protest's message toward ending the war, but they were driven out with curses by the crowd.
These demonstrations mark a renewed wave of dissent that first surfaced last month, when hundreds of displaced residents from Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun marched toward Gaza City. That protest broke new ground in the coastal enclave, directly challenging Hamas narratives of “steadfastness” and remaining on Palestinian land. Protesters then held signs reading “Our children's blood is not cheap” and “End the war now,” while some chanted, “Hamas out, Hamas must go.”
In the days that followed, protests spread to Gaza City, the Jabalia refugee camp, and Bani Suheila square in Khan Younis. Hamas leaders, including Hamdan, accused Israel of orchestrating the unrest. Another official, Sami Abu Zuhri, labeled the protesters “mouthpieces of the occupation,” implying they were traitors.
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At the time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the protests, saying, “More and more Gazans understand that Hamas brings them destruction and ruin. That’s important. It shows our policy is working.”
Several families and clans later released a joint statement urging renewed demonstrations and calling for the withdrawal of both Hamas and Israeli forces from Gaza. They warned Hamas not to suppress the protests, citing reports of newly formed militias meant to crack down on dissent.
In response, Hamas violently suppressed the protests, targeting organizers and participants. At least six protesters were reportedly executed by the group, while others were tortured publicly. One young man from Gaza City was abducted, brutally beaten and returned to his family as he lay dying. Another resident was publicly beaten and shot in Nuseirat Square. A social activist who lost an eye during the crackdown said, “No Gazan journalist will speak about these crimes.”