Israel Demonstrations in Gaza against war and Hamas spread
The protests in the Gaza Strip against the war and the Islamist Hamas are spreading.
27.03.2025, 05:52
SDA
According to eyewitnesses, thousands of Palestinians demonstrated in several towns in the area, including Beit Lahia and the city of Gaza in the north, as well as in Chan Junis in the south of the coastal strip. A majority of the demonstrators were also protesting against Hamas, eyewitnesses told the German Press Agency. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz called on the other Palestinians to join the protests. Meanwhile, according to reports, Israel killed another senior Hamas member in an attack in the northern Gaza Strip.
Hundreds of Palestinians had already protested on Tuesday, particularly in the north. This is extremely unusual in the Gaza Strip, as the Islamist organization Hamas is known for cracking down on internal opponents. According to eyewitnesses, the protests were mainly directed against Hamas leaders abroad. Many demonstrators accuse them of not being interested in the population of the Gaza Strip, which was largely destroyed in the war.
Some Hamas members are known to be living a life of luxury in Qatar, for example. Living conditions in the Gaza Strip, on the other hand, are catastrophic.
In the city of Gaza, demonstrators carried banners reading "Hamas does not represent us". Dozens of men reportedly shouted: "Out, out, out! Hamas get out!" Similar slogans were also reported from Beit Lahia in the north of the area.
Hamas spokesman reportedly killed
According to Arab media reports, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Kanu is said to have been killed in an Israeli air strike on the northern Gaza Strip. He was considered one of the best-known Hamas spokesmen. A few days ago, Israel had already killed senior Hamas members Ismail Barhum and Salah al-Bardawil in the south of the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian reports.
Israel also reportedly attacked targets in Lebanon and Syria during the night. The Syrian port city of Latakia is said to have been attacked. According to these reports, a vehicle was also attacked in southern Lebanon. Lebanon and Israel repeatedly accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Since the fall of Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, the Israeli army has also significantly expanded its military activities on Syrian territory. Israel justifies its military action on Syrian territory near the occupied Golan Heights with the fight against weapons depots and supply routes that are to be used by Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.
Katz to Palestinians: demand the withdrawal of Hamas from Gaza
Katz called on the people in the Gaza Strip to learn from the demonstrators in the city of Beit Lahia. "Like them, demand the withdrawal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages - this is the only way to end the war," said Katz.
He also announced operations in other areas of the Gaza Strip. "You are asked to leave the combat zones for your own safety," he said in a video address to the residents of the coastal strip. Israel's army would soon "move in full force into other areas of Gaza".
"Hamas is endangering your lives and is the cause of you losing your homes and more and more areas being integrated into the Israeli defense formation," Katz continued. The speech published on Platform X was also subtitled in Arabic.
The war was triggered by the massacre of Palestinian terrorists from the coastal area in Israel on October 7, 2023. An overwhelming majority of the approximately two million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip had to flee because of the attacks and fighting. Many people have also lost loved ones in the war. A week ago, Israel's army resumed its massive attacks after Israel and Hamas were unable to agree on a continuation of the ceasefire.
Demonstrations in Israel too
There were also further demonstrations in Israel on Wednesday. Thousands protested against the country's right-wing religious government and a highly controversial bill. Around ten thousand Israelis took to the streets in Jerusalem, according to the Israeli news website "ynet". The newspaper "Haaretz" spoke of thousands of participants at a rally in front of parliament. There were also demonstrations in Tel Aviv.
The organizers of the protests declared that the government had "abandoned the hostages, endangered Israel's security and passed aggressive and extreme laws without batting an eyelid." The government had declared war on the Israeli people, they said in a statement.
The main reason for the new protest was a government bill. It wants to significantly expand political control over the appointment process for judges. According to Haaretz, the final vote is expected to take place today. The opposition is reportedly planning to stay away in protest.
Critics in Israel see the proposed law as an attempt to undermine democracy. Opposition politician Benny Gantz is said to have warned Justice Minister Yariv Levin that the country is "on the brink of civil war", according to several Israeli media outlets.
There have also been repeated protests by government opponents in the country in recent days. They are also demanding an agreement with Hamas that would see the release of hostages still being held by Islamists in the Gaza Strip.
