GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip. Several thousand individuals briefly took to the streets across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, signaling a rare public expression of dissatisfaction with the Hamas government in the territory. However, Hamas security forces swiftly dispersed the gatherings.
Marches occurred in Gaza City, the southern town of Khan Younis, and various other locations, with demonstrators chanting slogans like “what a shame” and burning Hamas flags in some areas before being dispersed by police intervention.
In Khan Younis, witnesses reported police destroying mobile phones of individuals filming the events, alongside several arrests. Additionally, clashes erupted between young supporters and opponents of Hamas, involving stone-throwing incidents.
The protests were organized by an online grassroots movement known as “alvirus alsakher,” or “the mocking virus,” though the individuals behind the movement remain unidentified.
Hamas maintains a tight grip on Gaza, typically quelling demonstrations swiftly and suppressing public dissent.
The Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s forces in 2007, prompting Israel and Egypt to impose a restrictive blockade on the territory. Israel asserts the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas, which denies Israel’s right to exist, from strengthening its military capabilities.
The blockade has led to severe economic hardships in Gaza, with soaring unemployment rates and frequent electricity shortages. Amid the current heatwave, residents have been receiving only four to six hours of electricity per day due to high demand.
“Where is the electricity and where is the gas?” protesters demanded in Khan Younis, along with chants of “What a shame. What a shame.”
Criticism was also directed at Hamas for deducting approximately $15 from the $100 monthly stipends provided to Gaza’s poorest families by the wealthy Gulf state of Qatar.
As of now, there has been no response from the Hamas authorities regarding the protest.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
