Hundreds of Palestinians marched through northern Gaza on Tuesday in a rare anti-Hamas protest, calling on the terror group to reach a cease-fire with Israel and relinquish control of the strip to end the war.
Videos from the northern city of Beit Lahiya, which has been devastated by heavy Israeli bombardment and intense fighting between Hamas and Israel Defense Forces over the last 17 months, show hundreds of people gathered on the streets, some chanting anti-Hamas slogans. Shouts of “Hamas out” could be heard in videos shared on social media.
The crowd gathered in response to a social media call for a demonstration. ABC News is unable to confirm the origin or identity of the original poster.
Some marchers held signs with demands such as “Enough displacement and homelessness,” “Stop the war,” and “We refuse to die,” as seen in social media videos.
A local journalist’s video footage, verified by ABC News, showed Gazans chanting, “We want to live, we want to live,” in Arabic as a man addressed the assembled crowd.
“We are here today to deliver a message to the entire nation,” he told us. “We are a peaceful people; a peaceful people. We want to live. “This is the least of life’s demands.”
“We want to live,” he added. “Deliver it to the entire country and its leadership. We want to live. People do not have money to move their belongings when evacuating, and there is no empty space in Gaza. “Where shall we go?”
According to the Associated Press, some video footage appeared to show Hamas members dispersing the crowd.
On Wednesday, social media users in the Gaza Strip called for more protests. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the protests in a video statement released on Wednesday in Hebrew.
“The IDF will soon operate forcefully in additional areas of Gaza, and you will be required to evacuate and lose more and more territory,” Katz said in a statement addressed to Gaza residents. “The plans have already been prepared and approved. Learn from the Beit Lahia residents: “Demand Hamas’ removal from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages; this is the only way to end the war.
Tuesday’s protests occurred amid Israel’s renewed offensive on the devastated Gaza Strip, which began last week and ended a two-month ceasefire that began in January.
Israel is demanding the immediate release of all remaining hostages, which number 59 people, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, and were taken in Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the campaign would resume in “full force,” adding that further “negotiations will only be done under fire.” According to Netanyahu, Israel intends to fully dismantle Hamas and remove it from power in Gaza.
As of Tuesday, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 792 people had been killed and 1,663 others injured since Israel resumed military operations last week.
The latest casualties bring the total death toll in Gaza since October 7, 2023 to 50,144, with an additional 113,704 injured, according to the ministry.
According to the Israeli government, approximately 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel as a result of the Hamas attack, with 251 people being taken captive back into Gaza.
