Hamas has recalled approximately 7,000 members of its security forces to reassert control over areas in Gaza recently vacated by Israeli troops, according to local reports. The Palestinian group has also appointed five new governors, several of whom have military backgrounds and previously commanded brigades within Hamas’s armed wing.
The mobilization order, reportedly communicated via phone calls and text messages, stated the objective was to “cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel,” instructing fighters to report within 24 hours. Armed Hamas units have already been seen deployed in various districts, some in civilian attire and others in the blue uniforms of the Gaza police.
Tensions escalated rapidly after two members of Hamas’s elite forces were fatally shot by gunmen from the influential Dughmush clan in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood. One of the victims was the son of Imad Aqel, a senior commander in Hamas’s armed wing and current head of its military intelligence. The discovery of their bodies in the street ignited anger and raised the possibility of a significant retaliatory response from Hamas. Subsequently, Hamas forces surrounded a large area where over 300 Dughmush gunmen were reportedly stationed, armed with heavy weaponry.
This morning, Hamas forces killed one member of the Dughmush clan and reportedly abducted another 30. Some of the clan’s weaponry was reportedly looted from Hamas depots during the conflict, while other arms had been in their possession for years.
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The Hamas mobilization was anticipated due to growing uncertainty about the future governance of Gaza once the war concludes. This issue is a critical point that could affect the initiation of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which includes provisions for Hamas to disarm.
While a Hamas official based abroad declined to directly comment on the security deployment, they 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 security officer formerly with the Palestinian Authority in Gaza expressed fears that the territory was heading towards further internal conflict. “Hamas hasn’t changed,” they told the BBC. “It still believes that weapons and violence are the only means to keep its movement alive. 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 residing in Gaza, noted that it remains to be seen whether Hamas will relinquish control or attempt to hinder the peace plan’s implementation. He added, “There is undoubtedly widespread fear among many Gazans of potential internal fighting, given the many conditions that could fuel it.” He suggested that Hamas’s acceptance of the peace plan was likely due to significant pressure, and that its continued efforts to maintain influence could jeopardize the agreement and exacerbate suffering for Gaza’s residents.
These developments following the recent ceasefire have caused significant concern among Gazans, who are already weary from years of conflict.