Gaza Protesters Target Hamas
For the first time since Hamas assumed control 18 years ago, Gazans are openly challenging the group, as reported by various sources.
On Sunday, fierce skirmishes broke out in the Gaza Strip, resulting in numerous fatalities, just hours before the anticipated release of hostages in the region fraught with conflict.
The violence erupted among local militias right before a televised address by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described the upcoming release of hostages as a pivotal moment.
The Israeli president cautioned that although the election campaign is ongoing, the nation faces significant security hurdles ahead.
Witnesses reported that the sound of gunfire sent families into a panic, forcing them to flee.
One witness stated, “This time, people weren’t fleeing from an Israeli attack; they were escaping from their own people.”
Conflicting reports from Israeli media suggest that violence erupted in the Sabra district of Gaza City, which is home to a militia known as the Domsh family. Hamas militants allegedly attacked this clan amid escalating tensions over a ceasefire.
The interior ministry of Hamas accused the militia of targeting its forces. However, members of the Domush family claimed they were being targeted by Hamas under the pretext of collaboration with Israel.
One family member expressed distress, stating, “Children are screaming and dying; they are burning our homes.” Another individual described the chaos, lamenting, “We’re trapped… They arrested the young people and lined them up against the wall. There’s a massacre occurring here.”
Reports indicated that 52 members of the Domush family and 12 Hamas militants were killed during the violence.
Amid the chaos, a blogger, known for celebrating an earlier attack online, was reportedly killed during the clashes. Additionally, a son of a Hamas official also lost his life, according to various reports.
A senior family member remarked, “We still maintain – don’t let Muslim blood be shed by Muslims.”
In response to the violence, Hamas’s Ministry of Interior announced an “amnesty framework,” which allows militia members and criminal elements not involved in the bloodshed until next Sunday to surrender, warning of severe repercussions for non-compliance.
Meanwhile, three anti-Hamas militias expressed their support for a peace plan attributed to President Trump while rejecting Hamas’s governance in Gaza.
Israel confirmed that Hamas would release 20 living hostages to the Red Cross by 5 a.m. Eastern time on Monday.
The hostages are to be transported under Red Cross supervision and then returned to Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip for reunification with their families in southern Israel.
Fox News Digital has reached out for comments from the Israeli government.
