By New York Post (World News) | Created at 2025-03-26 21:55:31 | Updated at 2025-04-05 05:34:07
1 week ago
An angry Palestinian man protesting Hamas rule in Gaza condemned the Oct. 7 massacre and joined calls for Hamas to leave as the rare demonstrations carried on for a second day inside the enclave.
Saeed, a 27-year-old Gaza resident and one of hundreds protesting the terrorist group’s brutal rule, said he supports the calls to exile Hamas, who he accused of plunging his people into despair when carrying out the 2023 terrorist attack in Israel.
“Oct. 7 backfired on Hamas and backfired for all of our people,” Saeed told The Post. “We want to see peace and opportunity.
The large-scale protests in Gaza erupted on Tuesday as crowds of people took to the streets in northern Gaza, which has seen the most devastation and a lack of humanitarian aid during the war.
Saeed, who did not say his last name out of fear of being targeted by Hamas, said hunger continues to run rampant in Gaza as Hamas pillages what little aid comes through the border.
“They can come into our homes and steal our food or money without any repercussions,” Saeed said. “They kill families in our neighborhoods like mobsters just to show their strength, even though it’s down to 30-40% of what it was pre-Oct. 7.”
While similar protests have generally been sparse since the war began, Palestinian outrage reached a boiling point Tuesday as hundreds took to the streets in Beit Lahia to condemn the end of the cease-fire with Israel as they demanded Hamas release the hostages and exit Gaza for good.
The protesters waved around signs that read “Stop the war,” with civilians chanting, “out, out, out, Hamas out,” in Beit Lahia and Jabalia.
Protests in Gaza are a rare occurrence given Hamas’ proclivity to crack down on any criticism levied against its terrorists.
The demonstrations continued on Wednesday, with masked Hamas operatives beating and assaulting protesters to disperse the scene, according to local reports.
The movement appeared to be spreading across the Gaza Strip, with similar demonstrations breaking out in Gaza City and Khan Younis.
Saeed said protests of this scale should have started last year when the Israeli military attacked Rafah, where more than 1 million refugees had been forced to evacuate.
“The people in Gaza were outraged of Hamas but were afraid to stand up,” Saeed said, noting that’s no longer the case.
“We will see the protests expand and take over the whole strip because we don’t want war any longer,” he added.
Hamas has remained the de facto rulers of Gaza after winning an election in 2006 and then ousting the opposition party, securing its grip as Israel has yet to back any other viable candidate to take the reins.
The protests in Gaza come as mass demonstrations continue in Jerusalem aimed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his decision to restart the war last week.
