An unusual drama is unfolding in the Gaza Strip, where locals, exhausted by years of Hamas rule, are openly settling scores with the group’s militants. One of the most striking episodes occurred recently, when members of the Abu Samra clan lynched a Hamas terrorist. According to eyewitnesses, the militant had earlier shot and killed a member of their family who was standing in line for flour, a vital commodity in the context of the humanitarian crisis. The shooting was an act of retaliation, reflecting the growing anger of the population against those who have held power through fear and violence for many years.

Reports of such incidents are mounting. Several cases have emerged in which Gazans who had previously been reluctant to challenge Hamas are now taking justice into their own hands. This marks a turning point: whereas any attempts at resistance were previously brutally suppressed, people’s patience now appears to have snapped. Hamas, which has ruled the strip since 2007, has built a regime based on repression. Dissenters were either killed on the spot or kidnapped and subjected to sophisticated torture. This policy allowed the group to maintain control, but it also fueled hatred among the population, which now, taking advantage of the militants’ weakened position, is moving into action.

The reasons for this revolt are obvious. Years of war, economic blockade and internal terror have driven Gazans to despair. Hamas, accused of using civilians as human shields in the conflict with Israel, is responsible for the destruction of infrastructure and the humanitarian catastrophe. Queues for flour, water and medicine have become a symbol of survival in conditions where basic needs remain inaccessible to most. The murder of a member of the Abu Samra clan in such a queue was just the spark that ignited a long-simmering conflict between residents and militants.

The situation is further complicated by the internal political struggle within the sector itself. Clans that traditionally wield significant influence in Palestinian society are beginning to openly oppose Hamas. In March 2025, the Dughmush clan publicly declared Hamas militants to be legitimate targets after killing their relatives. This step was a response to Hamas-organized nightly massacres against clan members. Such events point to a split in Gaza society, where local forces, tired of the terrorists’ dictate, are ready for armed confrontation.

Israel, for its part, is increasing pressure on Hamas. After the group refused to release the hostages in early 2025, the IDF launched a series of operations, killing hundreds of militants and their commanders. In a recent address, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned residents of a new wave of evacuations and promised to use unprecedented force if the hostages were not returned and Hamas did not cease to exist in Gaza.