Protests erupt in Gaza as crowds demand Hamas out

“Out, out, out! Hamas, get out!” the protesters chanted.

GAZA,— Thousands of Gazans took to the streets in northern Gaza, calling for an end to the ongoing war and chanting slogans against Hamas, according to videos circulating on social media.

The demonstration, an uncommon public display of dissent against the militant group, comes amid worsening conditions in the war-ravaged enclave.

Much of northern Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and residents have been forced to relocate multiple times in search of safety.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the protests were a sign that Israel’s renewed military operations were yielding results, noting that Hamas security forces have largely vanished from the streets since the ceasefire ended.

Videos posted on social media platform X showed demonstrators in Beit Lahiya marching along a dust-covered road lined with war-damaged buildings, chanting, “Hamas out!” “Al Jazeera [TV] out!” “Out, out, out! Hamas, get out!”

“This was a spontaneous protest because people are exhausted and have nowhere left to go,” one resident told Reuters, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation. “Many people voiced anger at Hamas, though not all. People are simply worn out.”

Additional posts on social media indicated protests also took place in Shejaia, a Gaza City neighborhood, on Wednesday, where demonstrators reportedly demanded Hamas step down.

Hamas official Basem Naim acknowledged the public frustration but dismissed suggestions of widespread opposition, accusing external forces of trying to manipulate the situation. “People have the right to protest war hardships,” he said, “but there are suspicious agendas at play.”

His remarks came hours after the West Bank Authority’s ruling Fatah party urged Hamas to heed the demands of the people. The two factions, long-time rivals, remain at odds over who should govern Gaza once the conflict ends.

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched after Hamas Islamist militants carried out an October 7, 2023 Islamic State-style deadly attack in southern Israel, has killed more than 40,000 people, mostly Hamas militants, according to Israeli officials. The attack left 1,200 Israelis dead, mostly civilians and children, and saw 251 people taken hostage, according to Israeli figures.

Entire neighborhoods in Gaza have been flattened, with hundreds of thousands left homeless. Many displaced residents who initially fled south returned to northern areas during a ceasefire in January 2025.

However, fresh evacuation orders followed Israel’s renewed military push on March 18.

“All of Gaza is in ruins, and now they tell us to leave the north again. But where are we supposed to go?” said one protester.

Hamas security forces, which reemerged in January to restore order after the ceasefire, have largely disappeared amid the renewed attacks. Analysts say the group’s ability to suppress protests is weakening under the Israeli offensive.

“Hamas used to tightly control public dissent, but it is now struggling to respond,” said Gaza political analyst Akram Attallah. “The population is exhausted, and the group is under immense military pressure.”

Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, ousting the Fatah-led “Palestinian” Authority. While the group has expressed willingness to step back from direct governance, it insists on having a role in shaping Gaza’s future leadership.

The so-called “Palestinian” Authority, meanwhile, says it should assume control of the territory once the conflict ends.

(With files from Reuters | AP)