Postwar Gaza plans stall over challenge of disarming Hamas
Hamas is confronting a rare public backlash in Gaza as the death toll mounts from Israel’s bombardment and uncertainty looms over the militant group’s postwar future.
You're reading an excerpt from Al-Monitor Washington, where we break down the latest in US-Middle East diplomacy. To read the full newsletter, sign up here.
WASHINGTON — Hamas’ dominance over the Gaza Strip is being tested by the largest protests since the start of its war with Israel, raising fresh questions about the militant group’s future role in the Palestinian territory.
The demonstrations come as Israel has greatly expanded its military operation in Gaza in hopes of pressuring Hamas to free the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, after a US-backed ceasefire collapsed last month.
The protests, which started last week in the northern Gazan city of Beit Lahia and have drawn thousands of Palestinians into the streets, have demanded an end to the war that’s left more than 50,000 dead across Gaza, most of them civilians.
