Gaza City:
Hundreds of Palestinians shouted anti-Hamas slogans at a protest in northern Gaza on Tuesday calling for an end to the war with Israel, witnesses said.
“Hamas out” and “Hamas terrorists” were chanted by the mostly male demonstrators in Beit Lahia, where the crowd had gathered a week after the Israeli army resumed its intense bombing of Gaza following nearly two months of a truce.
On the social media network Telegram, at least one appeal to protest was circulating on Tuesday.
“I don’t know who organised the protest,” said Mohammed, a demonstrator who declined to give his last name for fear of reprisals.
“I took part to send a message on behalf of the people: Enough with the war,” he said, adding that he had seen “members of the Hamas security forces in civilian clothing breaking up the protest”.
Majdi, another protester who did not wish to give his full name, said the “people are tired”.
“If Hamas leaving power in Gaza is the solution, why doesn’t Hamas give up power to protect the people?” he asked.
Israel regularly calls for Gazans to mobilise against the Islamist movement that has been in power in the territory since 2007.
The Gaza Strip has been devastated by more than 17 months of war between Israel and Hamas, with the humanitarian situation again deteriorating after Israel blocked the passage of aid into the territory on March 2 in an attempt to force the militants to release Israeli hostages.
Since Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza, at least 792 Palestinians have been killed, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
The war was sparked by the militant group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 50,021 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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