Gazans launch ‘Hamas out’ protest as hundreds march and extra rockets hit Israel
Protests against Hamas and the war break out among the rubbled streets in Gaza as fears escalate of a huge increase in bloodshed – sirens blare in border towns as more rockets are fired at Israel
Hundreds of desperate Gazan locals have taken to the streets to protest against Hamas and the war in a rare show of public anger against the militant group. Witnesses said as many as 2,000 Palestinians marched in Gaza chanting “Stop the war” and even “Hamas out” as supporters of the militant group tried to disperse them.
On Wednesday fears of another outbreak of major fighting grew after two rockets were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip, triggering sirens in border communities. Videos appearing to be genuine showed protesters in the heavily-destroyed northern town of Beit Lahiya, as some of the marchers cried: “We don’t want to die.”
One young man from Beit Lahiya, Ammar Hassan, who took part in the protest stormed: “We are sick of the bombing, killing and displacement.” He said it started as an anti-war protest with just a few dozen people but then swelled to more than 2,000, with people chanting against Hamas.
He added: “It’s the only party we can affect. Protests won’t stop the occupation, but it can affect Hamas.” Protests erupted a week after Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas by launching a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of people. Earlier this month, Israel halted deliveries of food, fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid to Gaza’s roughly two million Palestinians.
Israel has vowed to escalate the war until Hamas returns the 59 hostages it still holds – 24 of whom are believed to be alive. As rockets went off in Gaza on Wednesday sirens sounded in the Gaza border communities of Alumim, Zimrat, Shuva, Kfar Maimon and Tushia. According to the Israeli Defence Force, one of the rockets was intercepted by air defenses, while the second struck in the area of Zimrat.
An earlier barrage on Tuesday was claimed by fighters from Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the less powerful militant group that exists in Gaza. No injuries have been reported in either of the attacks. They came as US intelligence revealed it believes Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon still represent a viable threat to the region.
Israel is also demanding Hamas give up power, disarm and send its leaders into exile. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. Hamas has said only a handful of its top commanders knew about the attack ahead of time. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 50,000 people.
It sparked fears of a major Middle East conflict as Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters opened fire into Israel, prompting the IDF to cross the southern border and huge airstrikes across neighbouring Lebanon.
Hundreds of Hezbollah men were killed in the conflict during which a large number died after the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency triggered explosive pagers and radios, killing even more militants.
Israeli troops have since largely withdrawn from Lebanon but, according to American intelligence the militant group stilll remains a significant threat to the region.
Houthi rebels in Yemen have been hammered with Israeli and US air-strikes after they launched a campaign against western shipping and opened fire with missiles repeatedly on Israel, in support of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
