In northern Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets in the largest protest against Hamas since the war with Israel began. They called for an end to the conflict and demanded that Hamas step down. The demonstration occurred in Beit Lahia, a week after the Israeli army resumed heavy bombing of Gaza following nearly two months of truce. Videos and photos posted on social media late Tuesday showed hundreds of protesters, primarily men, chanting “out, out, out, Hamas out” and “Hamas terrorists” while holding banners with slogans such as “Stop the war” and “We want to live in peace.”

According to media reports, armed Hamas militants, some wearing masks and carrying guns or batons, forcefully broke up the protest, attacking several demonstrators. Protesters said they gathered in response to calls shared on the social media platform Telegram.

A man named Mohammed told Agence France-Presse, “I don’t know who organised the protest.” He refused to share his last name due to fear of reprisals. He explained that he participated to "send a message on behalf of the people: Enough with the war" and added that he had witnessed "members of the Hamas security forces in civilian clothing breaking up the protest." Another protester, Majdi, who also chose not to reveal his full name, expressed frustration, saying, “People are tired.” He questioned, “If Hamas leaving power in Gaza is the solution, why doesn’t Hamas give up power to protect the people?” when speaking to AFP.

In the western part of Gaza City, footage from the Jabalia refugee camps showed dozens of protesters burning tyres and demanding an end to the war. "We want to eat," they vocalised. By Tuesday evening, anonymous Telegram messages urged people to hold similar demonstrations across Gaza on Wednesday.

Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007, after winning the Palestinian elections in 2006 and later seizing power by force. The group has not yet commented on the recent protests, but its supporters have downplayed the movement and accused demonstrators of traitors. Since the war with Israel began, criticism of Hamas has grown in Gaza, though the group still has strong loyalists, making it difficult to measure the extent of public dissatisfaction. The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) conducted the most recent survey in September. It found that 35% of Palestinians in Gaza supported Hamas, while 26% backed its rival, Fatah, the party led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah.

Israel frequently urges Gazans to rise against the Islamist movement, which has governed the territory since 2007. On Saturday, Monther al-Hayek, the Fatah spokesman in Gaza, called on Hamas to “step aside from governing” to protect the “existence” of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Strip has endured over 17 months of war between Israel and Hamas, with the humanitarian crisis worsening after Israel blocked aid deliveries on March 2 to pressure militants into releasing Israeli hostages. Since Israel resumed military operations, at least 792 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The conflict began with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,218 people dead, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. In response, Israel's military offensive has killed at least 50,021 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to the health ministry.