Hamas has recalled approximately 7,000 members of its security forces to help re-establish control in areas of Gaza recently vacated by Israeli troops, according to local sources. This move is accompanied by the appointment of five new governors, all with military backgrounds, some of whom previously led brigades within Hamas’s armed wing.
The order for this mobilization was reportedly communicated through phone calls and text messages, stating the objective was to “cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel.” Fighters were instructed to report for duty within 24 hours.
Eyewitness reports from Gaza indicate that Hamas armed units have already been deployed across various districts, with some personnel reportedly seen in civilian attire and others in the official blue uniforms of the Gaza police.
Tensions escalated rapidly after two members of Hamas’s elite forces were fatally shot by gunmen belonging to the prominent Dughmush clan in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood. One of the victims was the son of a senior Hamas commander and head of the group’s military intelligence. The bodies were left in the street, inciting anger and raising the possibility of a significant retaliatory response from Hamas.
Subsequently, Hamas forces reportedly surrounded an area where over 300 Dughmush clan members were believed to be sheltering, armed with heavy weaponry and explosives. This morning, Hamas forces are reported to have killed one Dughmush clan member and allegedly kidnapped another 30.
Some of the weapons used by the clan were reportedly looted from Hamas depots during the recent conflict, while others have been in the clan’s possession for years.
This mobilization by Hamas follows growing uncertainty about the future governance of Gaza after the war concludes. This is a critical issue that could potentially complicate the implementation of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which includes a demand for Hamas to disarm.
A Hamas official, speaking from abroad, declined to directly address the reports of the security deployment. However, they stated to the BBC: “We cannot leave Gaza at the mercy of thieves and militias backed by the Israeli occupation. Our weapons are legitimate… to resist occupation, and they will remain as long as the occupation continues.”
A retired security officer, who previously served with the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, expressed concerns that the territory might be heading towards another period of internal conflict. He commented, “Hamas hasn’t changed. It still believes that weapons and violence are the only means to keep its movement alive.”
He added, “Gaza is flooded with arms. Looters have stolen thousands of weapons and rounds of ammunition from Hamas stores during the war, and some groups have even received supplies from Israel. This is a perfect recipe for civil war: weapons, frustration, chaos, and a movement desperate to reassert control over a shattered and exhausted population.”
Khalil Abu Shammala, a human rights expert based in Gaza, noted that it remains to be seen whether Hamas will agree to relinquish ground control or attempt to hinder the peace plan’s implementation. He stated, “There is undoubtedly widespread fear among many Gazans of potential internal fighting, given the many conditions that could fuel it.”
He suggested that Hamas felt compelled to accept the peace plan due to the severe pressure it was facing. “I believe its continued attempts to maintain influence by any means, including involvement in security affairs, could ultimately jeopardise the agreement and plunge Gaza’s residents into even greater suffering,” he warned.
These recent developments, occurring since the ceasefire earlier this week, have heightened concerns among Gazan residents who are already struggling with the aftermath of a devastating two-year conflict.