“Hamas Out”: Rare Protests Erupt in Northern Gaza Amid War Devastation

Watan-Social media posts have shown hundreds of Palestinians protesting in northern Gaza, demanding an end to the war and chanting slogans such as “Hamas out, out” — a rare public display of opposition against the armed movement.

Northern Gaza has been among the hardest-hit areas in the war that erupted after an attack led by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Israel on October 7, 2023. Most buildings in this densely populated region have been reduced to rubble, and many residents have been displaced multiple times in an attempt to flee the fighting.

One widely shared video on X (formerly Twitter) showed protesters chanting: “Out, out, out — Hamas get out.” The clip appeared to have been filmed in Beit Lahia, Gaza, on Tuesday. The footage showed people walking through a street lined with buildings destroyed by the war.

The posts began spreading widely late Tuesday.

Ceasefire Ends, Fear and Protest Rise in Gaza

Reuters was able to verify the location of the video by matching buildings, utility poles, and road layouts with satellite images of the area. However, Reuters could not independently verify the exact date the video was taken. Many videos and photos posted to social media on Tuesday showed protests in the area.

Other posts included banners held by protesters with messages such as: “Stop the war” and “Enough displacement.”

Hundreds of thousands of residents who had fled to southern Gaza earlier in the war returned to their destroyed homes in the north during a ceasefire that took effect in January. The war has so far killed over 50,000 Palestinians.

The two-month ceasefire ended when Israel resumed its attacks on March 18 and issued evacuation orders to residents.

Hamas Grip on Gaza Faces Growing Strain

During the ceasefire, Hamas released additional hostages out of the roughly 250 it had taken into Gaza during its October 7 attack on Israel, which also killed more than 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures.

Palestinian health officials say nearly 700 people — most of them women and children — have been killed since Israel resumed its airstrikes on Gaza, as it aims to completely dismantle Hamas, according to Israeli statements.

Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 after defeating the Fatah party, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, in elections. It has ruled the territory ever since, leaving little room for opposition.

Many Palestinians remain cautious about speaking out against the movement publicly, fearing retaliation.