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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Beyond the Headlines: What Lies behind the Anti-Hamas Protests in Gaza?</h1>March 28, 2025</div>
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What Lies Behind the Anti-Hamas Protests in Gaza? (Design: Palestine Chronicle)
<p><strong>By <a href="https://www.palestinechronicle.com/writers/robert-inlakesh" title="Display all articles for Robert Inlakesh">Robert Inlakesh</a></strong></p>
<blockquote>
<h3>Palestine Chronicle’s Robert Inlakesh examines the true motivations
behind the anti-Hamas protests in Gaza, dissecting media portrayals and
geopolitical influences.</h3>
</blockquote>
<p><span>Protests broke out in Gaza twice this week, included within which were contingents that voiced anger at Hamas. </span></p>
<p><span>These incidents received significant media attention that
portray an organic uprising against the Palestinian movement that
maintains governing power inside the besieged territory, but is this the
truth?</span></p>
<p><span>On Tuesday, a series of small protests began against the war in
Gaza, which occurred in the territory’s north, the most notable took
place in Beit Lahia. </span></p>
<p><span>“Hamas out,” some signs read, and a few dozen were recorded
chanting the same, as others held up posters calling for an end to the
war. The following day, local leaders also called for protests in other
areas throughout Gaza, all of which denounced the anti-Hamas elements.</span></p>
<p><span>The first day of the protests did feature a clear anti-Hamas
element, but its size was very small and popular support was
non-existent, which was reflected in a joint statement issued by
community notables in Beit Lahia who denounced any attempts to attack
the Palestinian resistance, meaning Hamas in this case.</span></p>
<p><span>However, suddenly, the Israeli media, in addition to Saudi
state-funded outlets Al-Hadath and Al-Arabiyya, began covering the
protests as if an anti-Hamas uprising was occurring from within the Gaza
Strip. It wasn’t long before Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz even
weighed in to encourage continued protests, as officials from the
Palestinian Authority (PA) also did the same.</span></p>
<p><span>After various calls for protests, encouraged by the PA and
Israel, the following day there were a few hundred who decided to show
up and voice their disdain for Hamas. Despite the small scale of the
demonstrations, the Western corporate media and a handful of Palestinian
influencers online managed to make it appear as if these demonstrations
were the will of the majority in the Gaza Strip.</span></p>
<h4><strong>Why Did These Protests Happen?</strong></h4>
<p><span>To begin with, it is important to note that the protests were
minuscule in size compared to the rather robust anti-Hamas
demonstrations that had previously taken place prior to the beginning of
the Gaza genocide in October of 2023. The majority of the hype occurred
online and through the media.</span></p>
<p><span>In September of 2023, thousands of Palestinians throughout Gaza
had taken to the streets for a number of days in order to protest
against the governance of the territory by Hamas, an affair that quickly
ended following mediation. There were also countless protests in Gaza
over the years against Hamas, as they were the elected governing force,
over a whole range of issues.</span></p>
<p><span>Some of these demonstrations were initiated by former employees
of the Fatah-run PA, which is a Hamas rival, while others were
spontaneous and genuine.</span></p>
<p><span>While it is impossible to know the intentions of each and every
person out of the few hundred who decided to protest against Hamas over
the two day period, it is important to note that there were public
calls from both the Palestinian Authority and Israel that encouraged the
demonstrations. </span></p>
<p><span>One thing to keep in mind here is that there are still people
in Gaza who genuinely disapprove of Hamas as a political party, while
the population at large is also currently in a desperate state due to
the Israeli genocide and the blocking of all aid from entering the
territory. </span></p>
<p><span>This means that throughout the war, there have been conditions
conducive for countless people to be paid to collaborate with Israel and
the PA. Unfortunately, this came in the form of criminal gangs who
stole aid or forced aid agencies to pay bribes to allow the passage of
goods into civilian areas.</span></p>
<p><span>These bands of armed outlaws worked under the direct
supervision of the Israeli military and were permitted to approach aid
trucks, to hoard goods, sending the prices through the roof, while also
seeking to crumble law and order in the absence of the Hamas security
force presence on the streets. </span></p>
<p><span>In fact, Israel tried to use these criminal elements in the
northern Gaza Strip throughout the war, but failed dramatically after
they were effectively purged by Hamas and other Palestinian factions.
Even the PA tried to find a foothold in various areas of Gaza throughout
the war, but also failed abysmally.</span></p>
<p><span>None of this is to say that there aren’t frustrated people in
Gaza who just want the war to end and are desperate enough to see that
through any means, nor is it to disregard those who hold legitimate
personal grievances or political differences with Hamas. </span></p>
<p><span>These people do exist, and the population of Gaza is far from a
monolith. Yet, it is also true that they were encouraged by Israel and
the PA for their own insidious purposes, with indications that loyalists
were part of the protests themselves. In addition to this, all data
indicates that the overwhelming majority of people in Gaza are in
support of the resistance factions’ armed wings, despite political
alignment being extremely mixed.</span></p>
<p><span>It is also notable that the ‘National Assembly of Palestinian
Tribes, Clans, and Families’ also denounced the anti-Hamas protesters in
an official statement:</span></p>
<p><span>“Amid the resumption of the genocidal war waged by the zionist
enemy against the Gaza Strip for approximately a year and a half, and
given our people’s steadfastness in the face of all enemy plans (tribal
alternatives, General’s Plan, humanitarian bubbles, etc.)—all of which
have failed against our people’s steadfastness, patience, and
resilience—suspicious parties have emerged at a dubious time, mobilizing
a handful of misled individuals under the guise of Palestinian
families, clans, and tribes, presenting demands that completely align
with the zionist enemy and its collaborators.</span></p>
<p><span> “Thus, we in the National Assembly of Palestinian Tribes, Clans, and Families affirm the following: </span></p>
<ol><li><span> Palestinian tribes, clans, and families constitute an
essential component of our Palestinian people, upon whose strength the
enemy’s most dangerous schemes to create loyal tribal alternatives have
been shattered. </span></li><li><span> Palestinian tribes, clans, and families remain the primary
support for the resistance, with resistance cadres and leaders coming
from among us; resistance to occupation remains the only path as long as
the occupation persists. </span></li><li><span> We warn all those who speak in the name of Palestinian
tribes, clans, and families participating in suspicious movements,
affirm our non-participation, and call on our people not to
participate. </span></li><li><span> We declare that we withdraw tribal and national support from
those driving these suspicious activities. We support any actions taken
by relevant authorities against them and demand that these authorities
act decisively against those attempting to sow discord among our people
during this exceptional period in our Palestinian cause. </span></li></ol>
<p><span>“In conclusion, we extend great greetings to our steadfast and
resilient people and to the heroic resistance. Mercy upon our righteous
martyrs, swift recovery to our noble wounded, freedom to our brave
prisoners, and victory is the ally of our people.”</span></p>
<h4><strong>What Are The Goals Of The Demonstrations?</strong></h4>
<p><span>As of now, there isn’t really an anti-Hamas movement to even be
spoken of, despite the desperate attempts to portray this by
influencers, along with Saudi, Israeli, and Western media. However, if a
revolt did actually start, openly calling for the expulsion of Hamas,
it is important to understand what this means.</span></p>
<p><span>Israel’s goal in Gaza is clearly the mass expulsion of the
civilian population. They overtly seek the ethnic cleansing of besieged
territory to make way for a land grab. The only thing preventing this
from happening is the existence of the Palestinian armed resistance
factions; without them, the Israelis would simply take over Gaza, and
its people would be at the mercy of their military.</span></p>
<p><span>Some would then argue that if Hamas was to leave, along with
the other Palestinian armed factions, this could pave the way for an end
to the war, and the conditions of the people would improve. Not only is
this proposition directly contradicted by the Israeli leadership
itself, but the historical examples also point to the very opposite.</span></p>
<p><span>When the Israelis launched their onslaught on Lebanon in 1982,
during which Israel murdered between 15,000 to 20,000 people, the
Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) agreed to flee to Tunisia. </span></p>
<p><span>When they fighters departed and nobody was left behind to fight
back, Israel used its fascist allied militia forces to commit a series
of civilian massacres, including the largest mass murder of civilians in
a single day in the history of the conflict amongst the refugees of
Sabra and Shatila, most of whom were women and children.</span></p>
<p><span>In response to those who argue that the absence of armed
factions would pave the way for an effective non-violent resistance, an
example currently exists for this, it’s called the West Bank. Not only
has the PA denounced the armed struggle, killing, arresting, and
torturing its own people when they attempt an armed rebellion, but they
also actively carry out Israel’s dirty work in the West Bank.</span></p>
<p><span>Despite the PA’s attacks on its own people, which have now
extended to cracking down on protests against the genocide in Gaza with
brute force, the Israeli settlements continue to expand throughout the
West Bank. </span></p>
<p><span>Not only does the Israeli government seize more Palestinian
land there, but at this current time, the death toll there is currently
higher than during the height of the Second Intifada, when there was a
well-oiled armed resistance that was backed by former PA President
Yasser Arafat.</span></p>
<p><span>On top of this, Gaza tried non-violent resistance in 2018 with
the Great Return March. What happened? Israel mass murdered hundreds of
unarmed civilians, including women, children, the elderly, journalists,
paramedics, and even disabled people, injuring tens of thousands more.
The Western corporate media simply ignored it or claimed that Israel was
defending its “border”.</span></p>
<p><span>So, let’s imagine the scenario that Hamas is forced out of
Gaza. Who is going to stop Israel from ethnically cleansing,
re-occupying, and annexing the territory? </span></p>
<p><span>If Israel is seeking annexation of the West Bank, while
continuing to ethnically cleanse East Jerusalem, which it already
annexed illegally, then what incentive would there be to somehow allow
the people of Gaza to rebuild and govern themselves? </span></p>
<p><span>As of now, Israel can’t implement its ethnic cleansing plan
because of three factors: The armed resistance, the Israeli captives,
and the surrounding Arab regimes, which don’t want to absorb the
civilian population of Gaza. </span></p>
<p><span>Although the anti-Hamas protests aren’t actually significant
enough to be considered a factor at this time, let’s imagine that the
dozens of people chanting “Hamas out” got what they were looking for.
The reality is they would most likely be displaced themselves.</span></p>
<p><span>Despite there being anti-Hamas opinions in Gaza and the
suffering population being under the most unbearable pressure known to
man, the idea that expelling Hamas through force would somehow be
positive or that the majority of Palestinians in Gaza believe this to be
a viable option, is simply meritless. </span></p>
<p><span>If Israel’s intentions were to fight Hamas, they could have
done that, yet they chose to inflict a genocide, they chose to blow up
the majority of the civil infrastructure and make the territory
unlivable, and they are currently choosing to starve the entire
population through implementing a complete ban on all humanitarian aid. </span></p>
<p><em>(The Palestine Chronicle)</em></p>
<div>
<p><br></p>
<p><span><em>– Robert Inlakesh is a journalist, writer, and documentary
filmmaker. He focuses on the Middle East, specializing in Palestine. He
contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle. </em></span></p></div>
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