Hamas has recalled approximately 7,000 members of its security forces in Gaza. This move aims to reassert control in areas recently vacated by Israeli troops, according to local reports. The Palestinian group has also appointed five new governors, all with military backgrounds, some of whom previously commanded brigades within Hamas’s armed wing.
The order for mobilization was reportedly communicated through phone calls and text messages, stating the objective to “cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel” and requiring fighters to report within 24 hours. Armed Hamas units have already been seen deployed in several districts, some in civilian attire and others in the official Gaza police uniforms.
Tensions escalated significantly after two members of Hamas’s elite forces were killed by gunmen from the influential Dughmush clan in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood. One of the deceased was the son of Imad Aqel, a senior commander in Hamas’s armed wing and current head of the group’s military intelligence. The bodies were left in the street, sparking outrage and the likelihood of a strong retaliatory response from Hamas. Subsequently, Hamas forces surrounded an area believed to house over 300 Dughmush gunmen. Reports indicate that Hamas killed one clan member and abducted another 30.
Some of the clan’s weaponry was reportedly looted from Hamas depots during the recent conflict, while other arms have been in their possession for years.
This Hamas mobilization was widely anticipated due to the growing uncertainty surrounding the future governance of Gaza after the ongoing war concludes. This is a critical point that could complicate the implementation of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which includes a mandate for Hamas to disarm.
A Hamas official, speaking from abroad, declined to comment directly on the security deployment but stated, “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 Palestinian Authority security officer in Gaza expressed concerns that the territory is heading towards further internal conflict. He noted, “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, indicated that it remains to be seen whether Hamas will agree to hand over control or attempt to hinder the peace plan’s execution. “There is undoubtedly widespread fear among many Gazans of potential internal fighting, given the many conditions that could fuel it,” he said.
He suggested that Hamas felt compelled to accept the peace plan due to significant pressure. “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 commented.
These developments following the recent ceasefire have caused considerable concern among Gazans, who are already grappling with the aftermath of a devastating two-year conflict.