Palestinians in Gaza protested the war for the second day in a row on Wednesday, chanting slogans for Hamas, and were irritated and angry at the collapse of a ceasefire with Israel, which many hoped would be permanent.
The protest was a rare show of opposition against Hamas, an armed group that ruled Gaza with iron fist for 17 years and led an attack on Israel and launched a 15-month war on October 7, 2023. Wednesday’s protests appeared to spread across more parts of Gaza than Tuesday, according to social media and video on eyewitnesses.
Most of the demos have been small so far. However, eyewitnesses say the main ones in the northern town of Beit Rahiya, which was heavily damaged on Tuesday and Wednesday, attracted hundreds of people. The video showed significant gatherings, but it was not possible to independently verify the number of crowds.
Smaller protests were held on Wednesday in at least two locations in the north of Gaza city and central Gaza, Nusairat and Dei Al Albara. One Deir Al-Balah attendee said nearly 300 people had participated in the protest there.
Some Gazans say the protest began as a spontaneous outflow of emotions, but there were indications on Wednesday that they were more organized. Over the past two days, social media calls from Palestinians within Gaza have increased significantly, showing them on the streets and oppose Hamas’ rule and acts of war with Israel.
Hundreds of people gathered in Beit Rahiya on Wednesday for the second day in a row, saying, “Hamas out! Hamas is terrorism!” and “We want to live freely.” In the city of Gaza in the north, there was another small protest in Gaza, where the chant against Hamas is.
Videos from Tuesday’s protest, verified by The New York Times, showed Gazan’s group on a street that spans half of Beitrakya. Some carried signs against the continued war, while others chanted the slogans asking Hamas to come out.
Lulu, 38, from Gaza city in the north, said he is currently evacuated to the southern city of Khan Yunis, but on Wednesday he heard about the protests in Beit Rahiya the day before and began contacting other anti-Hama political activists to call more social media protests.
“I can say that hundreds have responded, ‘Yes! We’re joining you,'” he said. “Many individuals who are members of large families are taking part in the protest,” he added. “I’m worried that if Hamas decides to use force against protesters, the protesters will regain their strength,” Lulu said.
“Our demands are clear. We will end the war at any cost,” he said. “‘We want to live’ is our slogan,” he added. “Not this time. I believe it. We have absolutely nothing to lose. We are not afraid because we have already lost everything.”
So far, there have been few indications of Hamas attempting to forcefully crack down on the protest, as the group has done in the past.
Hamas each attempts to turn the Palestinian wrath back into Israel’s direction. In a statement posted on the Telegram channel on Wednesday, Hamas said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “bears full responsibility for the failure” of the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas official Basem Naim said in a social media post Wednesday that “everyone has the right to scream and speak up in pain.” However, he warned against exploiting “tragic humanitarian conditions” for the political agenda or exempting “criminal invaders” meaning Israel.
At least publicly, Gazan tends to condemn Israel for most of the death, destruction and hunger that war has brought about. But rather than giving up on power in exchange for a ceasefire, Hamas is responsible for leading the attacks that began the war to embrace hostages and continue to fight.
Eslam Rafat, a 21-year-old student at Beit Lahiya, said he joined the protests “to call for an end to the war and end the Gaza massacre.” He said that while some of the people who participated in the protests have issued political statements, they originally went out to seek an end to the war.
“It’s painful to see kids line up for a few hours and get distributed foods that often run out,” he added.
A two-month ceasefire with Israel brought the first sustained rest from constant artillery fire and ground war. Almost the entire population of Gaza – over 2 million people were evacuated during the war, and Israel’s aggressive attacks killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Israel abandoned last week’s ceasefire and resumed bombing Gaza to pressure Hamas to release more of the remaining hostages still held in the territory.
Leaders of prominent Palestinian clans and families in South Gaza opposing Hamas issued a statement on Wednesday calling on Palestinians on the territory to “start a mass uprising against injustice” and protest against Hamas.
“Hamas must immediately lift his hand out of Gaza and end this unfair lockdown imposed on us due to a decision that does not represent us,” the statement said.
“We’re urging you all to take us down the street and let us hear our voices,” it added. “Gaza is not a hostage to anyone. Gaza is released by the will of its people.”
Abdel Hamid called on Palestinian journalist and former radio host Al Atti, who fled Beit Rahiya to Egypt during the war, to Abed and put an end to the Hamas Rules in Gaza.
“Absolutely – after a year and a half of the war,” he said in a widely viewed video.
Abed al-Atti said he lost many families in Israeli attacks during the war, but said Gazan was protesting from an overwhelming sense of anger after very loss and destruction.
“This was voluntary,” he added over the phone. “Gazan has nothing to lose these days.”
Gaza Palestinian activist Amin Abedo spent an early part of the war in Gaza and evacuated to the UAE for treatment last September, saying the main demand for protesters was Hamas to resign.
“People are tired,” Abedo told The New York Times in a phone interview Wednesday. “They want to live in peace, security and stability, away from war and death. They want dignity,” he added.
“The movement is evidence,” Abed said. “I refute the Israeli story that everything in Gaza is Hamas.”
Mansar Al Hayek, a Gaza-based spokesman for Hamas’ rival Palestinian Fatah faction, has been called to Hamas to “listen to our people and withdraw from the government.” In an interview with Palestinian Radio on Wednesday, he said Hamas should hand over power to the Palestinian authorities controlled by Fatah, who governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Al Hayek said Hamas’ presence “has become a dangerous place for the Palestinian cause,” adding that the movement should listen to the voices appearing in Gaza and save a devastated population.
Netanyahu also warned of the protests in Gaza.
“We recently witnessed new changes, something we’ve never seen before,” he told Israel’s parliament on Wednesday. “We have seen massive, open protests in the Gaza Strip against Hamas’ control.”
Nader Ibrahim contributed a report from London.
