Gaza ‘majority’ do not support Hamas and want ‘exit path’ from war | World | News
Sources inside Gaza have said the population is growing tired of Hamas rule (Image: Getty)
A seismic shift in public opinion in Gaza could spell doom for Hamas as the “majority” of the population does not support the terrorist group staying in power, a security official claims. Hamas have ruled the Palestinian enclave with an iron fist for almost two decades leading to a drastic worsening of relations with Israel.
The terrorist October 7 atrocity, carried out by Hamas in 2023, led to a brutal war with Israel that resulted in the reported deaths of thousands of civilians and the decimation of buildings and infrastructure in the territory. US President Donald Trump has proposed a so-called Board of Peace to take over administration of Gaza, which is home to around two million people.
A delegation from Gaza has been involved in talks in Egypt this month to discuss the future of the enclave and Mr Trump’s peace plan. The talks come as the Israel Defence Force (IDF) said an airstrike in Gaza had killed a leader of Hamas’ military wing who was one of the last surviving architects of the October 7 attacks.
Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed on Friday, Israel’s army said, describing him as one of the senior Hamas military commanders who directed the planning and execution of the Hamas-led attacks which killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw more than 250 taken hostage. A Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, confirmed the killing on social media.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a security official with close knowledge of the situation in Gaza, said public support was shifting away from the terrorist group.
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The civilian population is growing weary of Hamas control in Gaza, an official claims (Image: Getty)
He said: “Against the backdrop of the talks in Cairo, broad public support is emerging among Gaza residents for the demilitarisation of Hamas.
“There have been several indications of a shift in public sentiment in Gaza regarding key issues related to the war. It appears that a majority of the population in the Gaza Strip is expressing support for the demand to hand over weapons, driven by a significant social desire to advance reconstruction efforts and bring the war to an end.
“This contrasts with the prevailing view prior to the conflict among many groups in Gaza, where the possibility of disarmament was not considered acceptable at all.
“According to sources in Gaza, the current proposal has created a potential exit path from the war, and there appears to be a willingness among residents to implement it.”
An IDF soldier explores the Hamas tunnels under Gaza (Image: Getty)
The offical added: “There has been a significant decline in support for ‘resistance’ (terrorist activities), with most people favouring alternative approaches for Palestinian society.
“It also appears that the majority of the population in Gaza does not support Hamas remaining in power, in contrast to the pre-war period.”
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, and the top diplomat overseeing it says it has stalled because of the deadlock over disarming Hamas.
Both sides have traded accusations of violations. Gaza has seen near-daily Israeli fire with more than 850 people killed in the Palestinian territory since the ceasefire went into effect in October, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry.
