Anti-Hamas Protests Rock Gaza

Rare public protests in Gaza for an end to Hamas’s rule — and to the war — have spread to a number of towns over the past three days. While most of the demonstrations have been small, they represent the boldest challenge to Hamas’s authority since the war began in 2023.

Hamas has brutally clamped down on protests in the past. This time, its security forces have been largely absent, most likely because of the group’s delicate position with Gazans and the difficulty of mobilizing under the threat of Israeli airstrikes.

“Hamas needs to go away,” said Ahmad al-Masri, who helped call for the demonstrations. “If it doesn’t, the bloodshed, the wars and the destruction won’t stop.”