CAIRO (AP) — With the Gaza ceasefire currently holding, Hamas security forces have returned to the streets, engaging in clashes with armed factions and reportedly eliminating suspected criminals. The group claims this is an effort to restore order in regions from which Israeli forces have retreated.
This display of strength has garnered support from some Palestinians after a period marked by lawlessness, but it poses risks to the truce, especially now that all hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack have been freed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently stated that the conflict will persist until Hamas is dismantled. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal demands that Hamas disarm and transfer authority to an internationally supervised body, which has yet to be established.
Hamas has not fully accepted these terms, asserting that further negotiations are necessary. The group has indicated a willingness to hand over power to other Palestinian factions but refuses to let chaos reign during the transition. Israelis are concerned that as long as Hamas remains armed, it could maintain influence in Gaza and potentially restore its military capabilities, even under the nominal governance of a separate entity.
Trump commented on Tuesday that Hamas has eliminated “a few dangerous gangs,” leading to the deaths of some gang members, stating that he was not particularly concerned about this. However, he reiterated his call for Hamas to disarm, stating, “They will disarm, and if they refuse, we will disarm them swiftly, possibly violently.”
Security Breakdown
Since Hamas took control of Gaza 18 years ago, its police maintained a semblance of public security and suppressed dissent. However, in recent months, they have diminished significantly as Israeli forces have taken control of large sections of Gaza and targeted Hamas security personnel with airstrikes.
Prominent local families and armed gangs, including some anti-Hamas factions backed by Israel, have stepped into the power vacuum. Many of these groups are accused of hijacking humanitarian aid and contributing to Gaza’s ongoing starvation crisis. Nahed Sheheiber, head of Gaza’s truckers union, noted that Hamas is targeting gangs that have terrorized residents in Israel-controlled areas.
