GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Hamas government’s internal security in the Gaza Strip has released Hisham Salem, secretary general of the armed Harakat al-Sabireen (Movement of Those Who Endure with Patience) in Gaza, after a 17-day detention.

Salem, arrested on Feb. 26, was released on March 10 after members of his movement agreed to hand over their weapons, a Sabireen leader currently residing in Iran told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The source added that Hamas opposes Sabireen responding with counter missile strikes to the sporadic Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. Hamas is hoping to stabilize the truce between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

“Sabireen members failed to abide by Hamas’ orders to maintain the alleged truce with the [Israeli] occupation and to preserve [Hamas'] authority in Gaza. We [Sabireen] fired a number of rockets in response to the occupation killing demonstrators on the Gaza border during the marches of return. This is why we were subject to ongoing arrests and attacks until we handed over our weapons, and we were prevented from carrying out any activity in the Strip,” he said.

The Sabireen source pointed out that Hamas warned Sabireen members against continuing to work in Gaza or taking up arms again after their weapons were confiscated for three consecutive days on March 6, 7 and 8 before Salem’s release.