Hamas Reasserts Control in Gaza Amid Internal Tensions and Violence

Wed Oct 22 2025 01:47:29 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In response to recent internal conflicts, Hamas mobilizes its security forces to reestablish authority in Gaza, as fears of widespread violence heighten among the population.

Hamas has deployed around 7,000 security personnel in Gaza following rising internal violence, including the assassination of two elite members. The group aims to eliminate perceived threats from rival clans and maintain control amid shifting power dynamics after recent conflicts. Experts voice concerns about potential civil unrest fueled by an abundance of weapons and widespread frustrations among the populace.

Hamas has recalled about 7,000 members of its security forces to reassert control over areas of Gaza recently vacated by Israeli troops, according to local sources.

The Palestinian group also appointed five new governors, all with military backgrounds, some of whom previously commanded brigades in its armed wing.

The mobilisation order was reportedly issued via phone calls and text messages which said the aim was to 'cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel' and told fighters to report within 24 hours.

Reports from Gaza suggest that armed Hamas units have already deployed across several districts, some wearing civilian clothes and others in the blue uniforms of the Gaza police.

Tensions rose sharply after two members of Hamas's elite forces were shot dead by gunmen from the Dughmush clan in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood. Their deaths triggered anger and raised the prospect of a major armed response by Hamas.

Hamas members later surrounded a large area where more than 300 Dughmush gunmen were believed to be holed up, armed with machine guns and improvised explosives.

This morning Hamas killed one Dughmush clan member, reportedly kidnapped another 30, and some of the clan's weapons were looted from Hamas depots during the war.

The Hamas mobilisation had been widely anticipated amid growing uncertainty about who will govern Gaza once the conflict ends. A Hamas official abroad declined to comment directly on reports of the security deployment but stated, 'Our weapons are legitimate... to resist occupation, and they will remain as long as the occupation continues.'

As fears of internal fighting grow, a retired security officer warned that Gaza is flooded with arms and that the recipe for civil war is present: weapons, frustration, and a desperate attempt by Hamas to maintain control.

Human rights expert Khalil Abu Shammala noted the severe pressure on Hamas regarding the peace plan and expressed concerns over its ability to relinquish control to prevent further suffering among the population.

These troubling developments have perpetuated a climate of fear among Gazans already devastated by years of conflict.