Gaza protests escalate as civilians demand end to war

Demonstrations spread to central Gaza after beginning in hardest-hit north of the enclave

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Demonstrations intensified across the Gaza Strip on Thursday to demand an immediate end to the continuing war with Israel, the lifting of a blockade on aid, the entry of essential supplies, and the removal of Hamas from power.

Several areas witnessed mass popular protests for the third day in a row, with participants calling for an urgent halt to the Israeli military campaign. In a rare show of public opposition against Hamas, protesters carried banners reading: "We refuse to die," "Our children's blood is not cheap," and "Stop the war."

Yahya Nassar, 27, was one of those who marched through the ruined landscape of Beit Lahia in Gaza's north. He lives with relatives after his home was completely destroyed by Israeli bombardment and said he is determined to keep raising his voice against the continuation of the conflict.

"We participate in these protests, and we will continue every day to tell the world that we are exhausted from 18 months of death and genocide," Mr Nassar told The National, adding his people only wanted "life and joy," not war and destruction.

"Our problem is with every party responsible for our suffering – first and foremost, the occupation that constantly kills and annihilates us. But we also hold Hamas and the Palestinian Authority accountable for abandoning the people under this genocide. Even after all this death and destruction, they have failed to end their division, to unite, or to be moved by the bloodshed happening every second."

Hamas, which led an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war, has controlled the enclave since 2006, and held no elections since then, partially due to a falling out with Fatah, the party which leads the Palestinian Authority.

A statement by the National and Islamic factions, an umbrella group including Hamas said people have a right to protest but issued a warning to those joining the marches to "remain vigilant and cautious" against attempts to exploit the grass roots movement for political reasons, or displace any blame from Israel.

"Beware of incitement against the resistance, as the occupation is lying in wait, seeking to manipulate our people, export its crises on to us, and push internal discord into our midst,” a statement from the factions read.

Palestinian protesters with a "Stop War" sign during a demonstration against the Hamas militant group in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, on Wednesday, March 26. Photographer: Ahmad Salem / Bloomberg

Demonstrations took place in Shujaia, Gaza city and Beit Lahia in the north, according to photos posted online, but have also spread to the central Gaza areas of Deir Al Balah. They were not met with resistance from Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government restarted its offensive against Gaza last week after two months of ceasefire, said the rallies showed its decision to renew the fighting was working.

"These protests are the most important development in this war. They prove that Gaza has a living, aware people who refuse death, reject genocide, and oppose reckless adventures," Kareem Jouda, a resident of Jabalia camp, told The National.

"We will not accept being mere tactical losses or bargaining chips in the hands of those who manipulate us, disregard our voices, and even attempt to silence us."

Jouda, who currently resides in his partially destroyed home in Jabalia, emphasised the importance of the protests' impact. "At the very least, they expose the false Israeli narrative that not all of Gaza is Hamas, that not all of Gaza wants to die, and all the other lies they have spread to justify their extermination of our people."

Israel's attacks on Gaza have killed more than 50,000 people and left most of the enclave's buildings destroyed. When the first phase of a ceasefire began in January, many Palestinians travelled back to their homes to survey and salvage what was left after an Israeli ground invasion and thousands of air strikes. Now Israel is once more issuing eviction orders from large areas of the enclave, displacing thousands once more.

As Israel shattered the ceasefire, it also restarted a blockade on the strip, preventing shelter materials, medicine and food from entering. The UN's World Food Programme warned Thursday it had only two weeks' worth of food left in Gaza, where "hundreds of thousands of people" are at risk of severe hunger and malnutrition.

"WFP has approximately 5,700 tons of food stocks left in Gaza – enough to support WFP operations for a maximum of two weeks," the Rome-based agency said in a statement.

Wissam Aouda, another Gazan citizen, acknowledged the danger of demonstrating under such dire circumstances but stressed its importance.

"These protests are a very risky step for the people under these conditions. If I were in anyone’s place, I could never call for such actions – the situation is extremely dangerous, and may God help the people with what they have endured and continue to endure," Aouda told The National.

"At the same time, I am very happy about the protests that took place yesterday and any future demonstrations. The voices that Hamas has silenced must be heard, and the world must know that Palestinians seek life, not death. The image that all of Gaza stands with Hamas and is willing to sacrifice their children is completely false."