The day Gaza-watchers never thought would come – could ever come – appears to have finally arrived. This week, for the first time since Hamas’s attack on Israel two Octobers ago, Gazans took to the streets to demand the terror organisation end its bloody reign over their blighted strip. “Hamas out!” they chanted bravely.
It was a remarkable display – at once shocking and yet not entirely surprising. Shocking because Hamas – which was voted into power back in 2006 – maintains a violent, deadly, ruthless hold on Gaza’s civilians that has always felt inviolable.
But the protests, brewing for the moment in cities such as Khan Yunis and Beit Lahia, make sense. Gaza is once again engulfed in flames as the Hamas ceasefire with Israel fell apart earlier this month. The terror group refuses to release the remaining Israeli hostages and disarm – and Israel is mounting a retaliatory offensive now destroying much of what little is left of the Strip, while threatening to annex the rest. At the start of the month, Israel cut off the supply of goods to Gaza in tandem with the renewed fighting; the ceasefire provided time for Gaza to restock, but experts suggest those supplies could be depleted within weeks.
The day Gaza-watchers never thought would come – could ever come – appears to have finally arrived. This week, for the first time since Hamas’s attack on Israel two Octobers ago, Gazans took to the streets to demand the terror organisation end its bloody reign over their blighted strip. “Hamas out!” they chanted bravely.
It was a remarkable display – at once shocking and yet not entirely surprising. Shocking because Hamas – which was voted into power back in 2006 – maintains a violent, deadly, ruthless hold on Gaza’s civilians that has always felt inviolable.
But the protests, brewing for the moment in cities such as Khan Yunis and Beit Lahia, make sense. Gaza is once again engulfed in flames as the Hamas ceasefire with Israel fell apart earlier this month. The terror group refuses to release the remaining Israeli hostages and disarm – and Israel is mounting a retaliatory offensive now destroying much of what little is left of the Strip, while threatening to annex the rest. At the start of the month, Israel cut off the supply of goods to Gaza in tandem with the renewed fighting; the ceasefire provided time for Gaza to restock, but experts suggest those supplies could be depleted within weeks.