Summary:
Following the 2023 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant group has resorted to violence to maintain control over Gaza, killing over 30 individuals in clashes with rival factions. Social media footage has surfaced showing Hamas executing alleged collaborators, further instilling fear among Gazans. Analysts and residents express skepticism about Hamas’s ability to retain power, highlighting internal divisions and the need for disarmament to rebuild Gaza. The situation remains precarious as conflicting forces vie for supremacy in the power vacuum left by the ceasefire.
What This Means for You:
- Hamas’s violent tactics underscore the ongoing instability in Gaza, which could impact regional security and global diplomatic efforts.
- Understanding the internal dynamics of Gaza is crucial for policymakers and humanitarian organizations aiming to support reconstruction and peacebuilding.
- The ceasefire’s fragility highlights the importance of monitoring developments in the region to anticipate potential escalations.
- Rebuilding Gaza hinges on Hamas’s disarmament, a process that could face significant obstacles given the group’s entrenched ideology.
Original Post:
Having brought the people of Gaza nothing but fire and death through its 2023 massacre of Israeli civilians, Hamas is using more death to keep the disenchanted people of Gaza in line as a ceasefire with Israel takes hold.
Hamas has killed more than 30 people as it battles its rivals, according to Reuters.
The outlet reported that a Gaza City gun battle with a gang opposed to Hamas left 32 gang members and six Hamas fighters dead.
Meanwhile, social media footage showed men clothed in garb worn by Hamas shooting three men to death in the street who were denounced by a crowd as “collaborators.”
In the unprecedented vacuum that follows the ceasefire, some in Gaza are saying Hamas cannot remain in control, according to The Times of Israel.
Hussam al-Astal, an anti-Hamas figure in Khan Younis, taunted Hamas in a video Sunday saying that after handing over Israeli hostages, it would have no further role in Gaza.
Fox News said the video showing the executions is a means of intimidation against the people of Gaza as Hamas fighters who were not killed by Israel emerge from hiding.
An Israeli official described the killings as “Hamas’s deliberate attempt to show the killing publicly and reestablish its rule by terrorizing civilians.”
Mukhaimar Abu Saada, a political analyst from Gaza, said that ending Palestinian-on-Palestinian fighting “won’t happen quickly.”
Will the peace deal hold?
“We’re talking about an ideological organization. Even last night, people were killed in clashes between Hamas and local militias. It’s not a rosy road,” he said.
“They’re still strong,” he continued. “Part of the reason they didn’t fight harder in the last days is that they saved some men and weapons for the day after. I still see Hamas police in the streets of Gaza.”
Abu Saada said there is “no question Hamas will have to disarm one way or another” as part of the plan developed through President Donald Trump’s leadership.
“No Arab country will give a single dollar if Hamas doesn’t disarm. Rebuilding Gaza depends on Hamas no longer being in control. The war is over, but the real test is only beginning,” he said.
A Gaza resident Fox News did not name said the contest for supremacy has just begun.
“You cannot say the war is finished,” he said. “We have to wait a few weeks to see what happens. There are gangs in Gaza now; Hamas is trying to fight them. If they don’t unify, another war could start.
“Hamas is not strong like before. Those who remain are mostly police — not the real Hamas people who believe in their extremist jihadist ideology,” he said. “We have to watch what happens next and see if they rebuild.”
In the meantime, there is a void.
“No one knows what is happening — who will rule, what will happen with Hamas, and if the war is truly over,” a Gaza City man said. “We hope for a better future. I just want me and my family to live without targeting, without bloodshed.”
“People just want the blood to stop. They want to stop losing their relatives and friends… It’s in their hands now — if they will allow Hamas to continue or finally rise up. But nothing is clear,” he said.
Jacob Olidort, director of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, said Hamas is “in the most militarily and diplomatically isolated place it has ever been.”
“Even before and after the release of hostages, Hamas has been defiant in tone,” Olidort said. “But all of that will be overshadowed by the vast expansion of peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors. All of Israel’s regional partners are eager to normalize and build on where they left off prior to Oct 7.”
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Extra Information:
For further reading, explore these resources:
Reuters on Hamas’s post-ceasefire tactics,
The Times of Israel on internal Gaza conflicts, and
Fox News on Hamas’s intimidation efforts.
People Also Ask About:
- Will Hamas remain in control of Gaza? Likely not without significant disarmament and international pressure.
- How does the ceasefire affect regional stability? The ceasefire is fragile, and internal Gaza conflicts could destabilize the region further.
- What role does disarmament play in Gaza’s future? Rebuilding Gaza depends on Hamas’s disarmament to secure funding and stability.
- What are the implications of Hamas’s actions for peace negotiations? Hamas’s violence undermines trust and complicates peace efforts.
- How can Gazans rebuild after the conflict? Rebuilding requires disarmament, international aid, and a unified leadership.
Expert Opinion:
Jacob Olidort of the America First Policy Institute emphasizes that Hamas is isolated militarily and diplomatically, suggesting its influence may wane as regional peace agreements advance. However, the group’s entrenched ideology poses significant challenges to lasting peace in Gaza.
Key Terms:
- Hamas post-ceasefire violence
- Gaza internal conflicts
- Disarmament of Hamas
- Gaza rebuilding efforts
- Israel-Gaza ceasefire implications
- Regional stability in the Middle East
- Hamas intimidation tactics
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