Anti-Hamas protests break out in Gaza Strip over demands to end war
Anti-Hamas protests broke out in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday as hundreds of Palestinian men took to the streets to call for an end to the war with Israel.
Videos of the protest began circulating on social media on Tuesday and come as Israeli air strikes and offensive operations against Hamas have continued since the first phase of an internationally-brokered ceasefire ended earlier this month, before a second phase could be secured.
One such video shared with Fox News Digital by the Center for Peace Communications showed protesters chanting, "Hamas get out!"
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The man filming the protest provided his own commentary, which reportedly said, "Gaza's people don't want wars. They demand the end of Hamas' rule. They demand peace."
"Gazans turned out in anti-Hamas street demonstrations, braving gunfire and prison, in 2019 and again on July 30, 2023. This is the most substantial mass protest since then," Joseph Braude, president of the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital. "It highlights Gazan aspirations to end the war by ending Hamas’ reign of terror, alongside the release of all hostages.
"Gazans are expressing anger at Al-Jazeera and global media generally for covering only Hamas, ignoring the voices of Gazan civilians," he added. "The more attention these brave souls get, the more they can help bring change for the better to Gaza and the broader region."
Palestinian civilians have taken the brunt of Hamas’ brutal and deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which resulted in the death of some 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 others. Fifty-eight of those hostages remain in Hamas captivity, but only 25 are believed to still be alive 535 days later, including American hostage Edan Alexander.
The Hamas-run Gaza’s Health Ministry reported on Sunday that some 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, including 600 over the last four days after Israel officially ended the tenuous ceasefire by launching air strikes after negotiations on hostage releases stalled.
The ministry also reported that over 15,600 Palestinian children have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.
According to Israeli news agency TPS-IL, Gaza activist Hamza al-Masry also took to Telegram to share footage of the protest and said, "It is time for our people in all the governorates of the Gaza Strip to come out like them and to be united and united in one message.
"The people of Gaza want to stop the torrent of bloodshed of our people, and enough is enough," he added.