Gazans Waking to Hamas Terrorism Backlash

"Our children have been killed. Our houses have been destroyed."

"[I joined the protest in Beit Lahiya] against the war, against Hamas, and the [Palestinian political] factions, against Israel and against the world's silence."

Abed Radwan

 

"[The protest began as an antiwar protest and swelled to over 2,000 with people chanting against Hamas]."

"It's the only party we can affect."

"Protests won't stop the [Israeli] occupation, but it can affect Hamas."

Ammar Hassan

 

"Our main goal is to bring the hostages home."

"If Hamas continues to refuse a deal, it will pay an increasingly heavy price".

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz 

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Beit Lahia, with many chanting anti-Hamas slogans  AFP

 

Out of a population estimated to be a million and a half people, thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza marched in another day of antiwar protests. Their demonstrations represent a rare display of public rage against their governing body, Hamas, that very political group whose charter calls for the elimination of the State of Israel, and of whom the vast preponderance of Gazans approved. An approval of both the terrorist group's violence against Jews, and their goal of destroying Israel. 

 

Presumably, the expectation among the population was that Hamas would go about their business of killing Jews and destroying the state expeditiously. Their shared aspiration unimaginably not drawing the civilian population of Gaza into the fray. A delusional fantasy given that in previous encounters between Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces, Hamas deliberately placed its civilian population in harm's way for the distinct public relations purpose of portraying Israel as a heartless killer of Palestinians.

 

During the horrendous savagery of the October 7, 2023 invasion of southern Israel, Palestinian civilians saw fit to join the thousands of Hamas operatives in their sadistic rape-and-murder spree. When Israeli hostages were  taken into Gaza, the civilian Palestinian population gave ample displays of Jew-hate as they celebrated the capture of an array of Jewish citizens from children to the elderly, wounded and dead, catatonic raped women, by ululating their pleasure and actively taunting and beating hostages and dead bodies.

Tuesday's protest was the largest anti-Hamas demonstration since war began following the 7 October attacks   AFP

So have Palestinians in Gaza discovered their mislaid humanity? Coming out in modest droves to rally against Hamas? The protests organized through social media platforms saw Hamas security forces responding to disperse the gatherings with forceful interventions to little avail. Had Palestinians responded by denying that Hamas terrorism reflected their values before the Israel Defense Forces invaded Gaza with the intention of destroying Hamas and rescuing the hostages, it might have seemed credible that they were intent on divorcing themselves from the violent terrorism they now are disowning.

 

It has taken 17 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas to impress upon Palestinians that violence begets violence and they could just as easily be on the receiving end as casualties as were the Jews, minus the ghoulish savagery of perpetrators intoxicated with hatred. In the town of Beit Lahiya some 3,000 people demonstrated, many chanting "the people want the fall of Hamas". What took so long?

 

Israeli hostages released by Hamas in Rafah and Nuseirat as part of ceasefire deal – video

Dozens of men in a Gaza City neighbourhood chanted "Out, out, out! Hamas get out!" In Jabaliya a similar protest took place. Speaking on condition of anonymity in fear of retribution, a protester explained the demonstration occurred because "everyone failed us". They chanted against Israel, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and Arab mediators. Despite no Hamas security at the protest, scuffles broke out between supporters and opponents of the protesting group.

 

Hamas is adamant, it will release the remaining captives only in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a complete and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. It could have had all that with the exception of the Palestinian prisoners' release up until October 6, 2023. Had they only put down their arms, declared their intention to destroy Israel null and void  and begun instead to govern the Gaza Strip responsibly.

 

People hold hands at a memorial event marking the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack in southern Israel, in Tel Aviv, Oct. 7, 2024. Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images