Thousands of Palestinians marched through the ruins of a badly damaged northern Gaza city on a second day of anti-war protests, many chanting anti-Hamas slogans in a rare show of open discontent toward the militant group.
The protests, mostly in northern Gaza, appeared to be aimed at the war, calling for an end to 17 months of deadly clashes with Israel.
However, public calls to confront Hamas, which has long suppressed dissent and continues to control territory months after the conflict with Israel began, have been rare.
In Beit Lahia, where a similar protest took place on Tuesday, about 3,000 people demonstrated, many of whom shouted: “The people want Hamas to be overthrown.”
In the hard-hit Shijaiya district of Gaza City, dozens of men shouted: “Out, out, out! Hamas, get out!”
“Our children were killed. Our homes were destroyed,” said Abed Radwan, who said he joined the protest in Beit Lahia “against the war, against Hamas and the (Palestinian political) factions, against Israel and against the silence of the world.”
Ammar Hassan, who attended Tuesday's protest, said it began as an anti-war rally with a few dozen participants but grew to more than 2,000 people, with people chanting anti-Hamas slogans.
“This is the only side we can influence,” he said. “Protests will not stop the (Israeli) occupation, but they can influence Hamas.”
Militants have brutally suppressed previous protests. This time there has been little direct intervention, perhaps because Hamas has been more restrained since Israel resumed fighting.
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said people had a right to protest, but their focus should be on the “criminal aggressor” – Israel.
Family elders from Beit Lahiya have expressed support for protests against Israel's renewed offensive and tightening of the blockade on all supplies to Gaza. Their statement said the community fully supports armed resistance against Israel.
“The protest was not political. It was about people's lives,” said Mohammed Abu Saker, a father of three from the nearby town of Beit Hanoun who joined the demonstration on Tuesday.
“We
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
