Beyond the headlines: what lies behind the anti-Hamas protests in Gaza?
Palestinians in a protest ahainst the war and against Hamas in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, on 26 March 2025
Robert Inlakesh writes in The Palestine Chronicle on 28 March 2025:
Protests broke out in Gaza twice this week, included within which were contingents that voiced anger at Hamas.
These incidents received significant media attention that portray an organic uprising against the Palestinian movement that maintains governing power inside the besieged territory, but is this the truth?
On Tuesday, a series of small protests began against the war in Gaza, which occurred in the territory’s north, the most notable took place in Beit Lahia.
“Hamas out,” some signs read, and a few dozen were recorded chanting the same, as others held up posters calling for an end to the war. The following day, local leaders also called for protests in other areas throughout Gaza, all of which denounced the anti-Hamas elements.
The first day of the protests did feature a clear anti-Hamas element, but its size was very small and popular support was non-existent, which was reflected in a joint statement issued by community notables in Beit Lahia who denounced any attempts to attack the Palestinian resistance, meaning Hamas in this case.
However, suddenly, the Israeli media, in addition to Saudi state-funded outlets Al-Hadath and Al-Arabiyya, began covering the protests as if an anti-Hamas uprising was occurring from within the Gaza Strip. It wasn’t long before Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz even weighed in to encourage continued protests, as officials from the Palestinian Authority (PA) also did the same.
After various calls for protests, encouraged by the PA and Israel, the following day there were a few hundred who decided to show up and voice their disdain for Hamas. Despite the small scale of the demonstrations, the Western corporate media and a handful of Palestinian influencers online managed to make it appear as if these demonstrations were the will of the majority in the Gaza Strip.
Why Did These Protests Happen?
To begin with, it is important to note that the protests were minuscule in size compared to the rather robust anti-Hamas demonstrations that had previously taken place prior to the beginning of the Gaza genocide in October of 2023. The majority of the hype occurred online and through the media.
In September of 2023, thousands of Palestinians throughout Gaza had taken to the streets for a number of days in order to protest against the governance of the territory by Hamas, an affair that quickly ended following mediation. There were also countless protests in Gaza over the years against Hamas, as they were the elected governing force, over a whole range of issues.