On Thursday, for the third day in a row, reports emerged from Gaza of ongoing protests in the northern part of the Strip, particularly in Jabaliya and Beit Lahia. Demonstrators shouted, "Hamas, get out. Out, out, out."
In Jabaliya, protesters called out the names of senior Hamas officials, chanting, "Shame, shame, the cause of the destruction," and "The earth is shaking."
A resident of northern Gaza told reporters on camera: "In Gaza, we want an end to Hamas because they are not the resistance. We are the resistance. It's our family members who have been killed. They're sitting abroad while our children are dying."
Protesters in Jabaliya carried signs that read: "We won't be pawns," "We want to live," and "Hamas out." Children shouted, "Hamas is a terrorist organization," and one sign took aim at a senior Hamas official abroad: "Osama Hamdan, you sold out your people. Go to hell, you collaborator."
The protests began on Tuesday, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the collapse of Hamas rule. However, demonstrators have not directly addressed the issue of the hostages or called for their release.
Alongside the protests in northern Gaza, a statement was released Wednesday night, attributed to clans and tribes in the southern Gaza Strip. It read: "We, families and tribes from southern Gaza, call on families to send a message to their sons working with Hamas or participating in the repression of civilians to cease these actions that harm our people and exploit young people for causes that do not serve the national interest. We will not remain silent about attacks on innocent civilians."
The statement follows videos circulating online showing Hamas terrorists abusing civilians or extorting protection money in the Khan Younis area.
