Today is a pivotal day. Yesterday, numerous videos from the Gaza Strip circulated on social and mainstream media, revealing a turning point within Gaza’s civilian population: Palestinians are protesting loudly and openly in front of cameras against their own regime, Hamas.

Hundreds of residents of Beit Lahia took to the streets at sunset, and further protests were reported after dark in the Jabalia refugee camp and Khan Younis. In most of the videos, Palestinians chant “Barra Hamas, Barra Hamas – Out with Hamas!” Palestinians say on camera that Hamas has ruined the Gaza Strip and that they want to live. They don’t care who rules them, just not Hamas.

⭕️ Des dizaines de Palestiniens se sont rassemblés mardi dans le nord de la bande de Gaza, près de l’hôpital indonésien de Beit Lahia, pour manifester et réclamer la fin de la guerre. Les manifestants scandent : “Hamas, dégage !” pic.twitter.com/xYhf4JCqXm

— i24NEWS Français (@i24NEWS_FR) March 25, 2025

Residents of the Gaza Strip, who at least publicly tend to blame Israel for the death, destruction, and hunger the war has brought, demonstrated against Hamas for the first time in a rare protest. After 17 months of war, the world has become accustomed to reporting on pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and the international media usually blames Israel for the consequences of the war in Gaza. But after hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated against Hamas for the first time yesterday, the international reaction was inevitable. The protests were also reported in the Arab world, and the Saudi-run London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat even devoted its front page to the issue. The headline read: “Gaza: Demonstrations against Hamas demand an end to the war,” and below it were pictures of yesterday’s protests.

The Saudi broadcaster Al-Hadath Al-Arabiya released new footage from Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, in which Palestinians explicitly shout, “Hamas Barra, Hamas Barra – Out with Hamas, out with Hamas.” Palestinians also raise the white flag, a sign of surrender.

In other videos, Palestinians can be heard saying that they no longer want the Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera in the Gaza Strip. Palestinians in Gaza have also now realized that Al-Jazeera, which is linked to Hamas, is only adding fuel to the fire and not reporting the truth. Saudi networks and media reported on the Palestinian protests against Hamas, but the Qatari broadcaster did not.

Various Arab broadcasters also published videos of the protests, which were broadcast by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, the Saudi-owned Al-Hadath broadcaster quoted a senior Palestinian official as saying that the protests were likely to spread. Egyptian journalist Ahmed Moussa, appearing on the Egyptian broadcaster Sada El-Balad, said that “the demands of the residents of the Gaza Strip reflect the daily suffering of the Palestinian people in the face of escalating crises.” He called on Hamas to listen to the voices of the people and halt hostilities to “save what remains of the Gaza Strip.”

Hundreds join largest anti-Hamas protest since Gaza war began https://t.co/G01zWeHCnd

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 25, 2025

The BBC, which has pursued a distinctly anti-Israel stance since the outbreak of the war, reported on “the largest protest against Hamas since the war began, as hundreds of people took to the streets demanding the organization relinquish power.” The British broadcaster, which does not designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, further reported: “Armed and masked Hamas fighters, some with firearms, others with batons, violently dispersed the demonstration and attacked some of the protesters.”

The Hamas-affiliated Gaza-based news agency Shehab is attempting to push an online campaign that labels anyone publishing anti-government content as part of “the media network of Israel’s army spokesman in Arabic, Avichay Adraee.” Shehab completely ignored and failed to report on yesterday’s protests in northern Gaza. Now, however, the agency is attempting to crack down on the protests—without even mentioning that they took place.

What’s next? The most remarkable aspect of the protests so far has been their mere occurrence—and the fact that calls against Hamas were raised openly and with great courage, and with uncovered faces. This is something new. Now we have to see whether the public protests were just a one-off or whether they will continue. Will the protests gain momentum and draw more and more people in the Gaza Strip? How many Gazans are truly brave enough to speak out publicly against Hamas? Will other regions of the Gaza Strip join the protests? Will Hamas succeed in violently suppressing the demonstrations? Will the demonstrators manage to keep the movement going?

Residents of Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza Protest Against Hamas: Release Israeli Hostages, Stop the War – We Want to Live! We Reject the Rule of Hamas pic.twitter.com/58jjpQXqKx

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) March 26, 2025

Experience shows that the odds are stacked against the demonstrators in the Gaza Strip. It’s quite possible that Hamas will respond brutally to the next protests, and brutal means shooting at its brethren. To what extent will Fatah participate in overthrowing the Hamas regime?

The start of the protests was undoubtedly a good indicator of the effectiveness of Israeli pressure on the Gaza Strip. But it is still too early to speak of an “Arab Spring in the Gaza Strip” that could lead to the long-awaited overthrow of Hamas. Israel’s military pressure on Gaza must continue in full force. Israel must under no circumstances embrace or openly support the Palestinian protests in the Gaza Strip. Naturally, Hamas is trying to undermine the legitimacy of the protests by portraying them as cooperation with Israel.

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