Hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets in northern Gaza on Tuesday to demand the expulsion of Hamas from the enclave and an end to the war with Israel, after more than a year of fighting that has left the region in ruins.
“Out, out, Hamas must go,” “Hamas is a terrorist organization,” and “Stop the war” were some of the chants echoed by the residents of Beit Haliya as they marched with white flags, calling for the group’s removal and the release of Israeli hostages.
“The people want freedom, an end to the attacks on Gaza, peace, the end of this war, and the release of prisoners so we can stay alive,” said one protester. Another added, “We want to live! We refuse to be the next victims.”
Amid the desperation, one resident declared, “Hamas tells us to stand firm, but how can we when we are dying and bleeding? Hamas must stop what is happening in Gaza… We are sending a message to the world: we reject Hamas’s rule.”
The demonstrators aimed to distance themselves from the conflict and show the international community that “we are a people of peace.” Their priorities, they insisted, were achieving “a secure peace for this city” and no longer living “under steel and fire.”
“We will be the ones to decide who governs this city… We say yes to peace and no to a tyrannical regime that threatens our people’s future,” another group of protesters proclaimed.
Additionally, the participants protested against the media, particularly the Al-Jazeera network, accusing it of serving Hamas’s interests and failing to show the reality of what is happening in Gaza. “Where is the press? We demand they report on these events,” they shouted, while others claimed that many reporters had taken refuge in the Indonesian hospital to avoid documenting the protest.
Despite fears of retaliation, the demonstration took place without any reported arrests by Hamas.
In response, the Fatah movement, part of the Palestinian Authority (PA), urged Hamas to “listen to the voice of the people” and acknowledge the criticism for years of repression and abuse. In a statement, its spokesperson called for allowing the PA to “heal our people’s wounds, rebuild the Strip, and confront displacement and deportation efforts.”
Meanwhile, Israel resumed its offensives in Gaza after negotiations to extend the ceasefire failed. “We will act with increasing military force,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that the terrorists “will pay an increasingly higher price” for refusing to release the hostages and prolonging the conflict.
As part of its strategy, the Israeli military has resumed evacuation orders in various areas, including the city of Jabaliya in northern Gaza.
