Location at an overview: Demos in Gaza against war and Hamas expand

The protests in the Gaza Strip against the war and Islamist Hamas expand. According to eyewitnesses, thousands of Palestinians demonstrate in several places in the area, including in Beit Lahia and the city of Gaza in the north and in Chan Junis in the south of the coastal strip. A majority of the demonstrators also protested against Hamas, reported eyewitnesses from the German Press Agency. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz called on the other Palestinians to join the protests. In the meantime, according to Israel, a further rank-high Hamas member is said to have killed another rank-high Hamas member in an attack in the northern Gaza Strip.

Already on Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians protested in the north. This is extremely unusual in the Gaza strip, since the Islamist organization Hamas is known to tough against internal opponents. According to eyewitnesses, the protests were primarily against the leaders of Hamas abroad. Many demonstrators therefore accuse them of not interested in the population of the Gaza Strip, which was largely destroyed in the war.

It is known about some Hamas people that they live a luxury life in Qatar, for example. The living conditions in the Gaza Strip, on the other hand, are catastrophic.

In the city of Gaza, demonstrators wore banners with the inscription “Hamas does not represent us”. Dozens of men report saying: “Get out, out, get out! Hamas go out!” Similar slogans were also reported from Beit Lahia in the north of the area.

Hamas spokesman is said to have been killed

According to Arab media reports, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Kanu is said to have been killed in an Israeli air raid on the northern Gaza Strip. He was considered one of the most famous Hamas spokesman. A few days ago, Israel had already killed the rank-high Hamas members Ismail Barhum and Salah al-bardawil in the south of the Gaza Strip according to Palestinian information.

In addition, Israel reported on the night in Lebanon and Syria. According to this, the Syrian port city of Latakia is said to have been attacked. In addition, after these reports, a vehicle was attacked in the South Libanon. Lebanon and Israel repeatedly accuse themselves of violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Since the fall of Syria’s ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, the Israeli army has also significantly expanded its military activities in the Syrian field. Israel justifies his military approach in the Syrian area near the occupied Golan heights with the fight against arms camps and replenishment paths, which are to be used by Hamas and the Lebanese Hisbollah militia.

Katz to Palestinians: Request the deduction of Hamas from Gaza

Katz asked the people in the Gaza Strip to learn from the demonstrators in the city of Beit Lahia. “Demand how to deduct Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages – this is the only way to end the war,” said Katz.

He also announced missions in other areas of the Gaza Strip. “You will be asked to leave the combat areas for your own security,” he said in a video address to the residents of the coastal strip. Israel’s army will soon be “moving into other areas of Gaza with full strength”.

“Hamas endangers its life and is the reason why they lose their houses and more and more areas that are integrated into the Israeli defense formation,” said Katz. The address published on platform X was also subtitled in Arabic.

The war was triggered by the Massak Palestinian terrorist from the coastal area on October 7, 2023 in Israel. An overwhelming majority of around two million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip had to flee because of the attacks and fights. Many people have also lost relatives in the war. A week ago, Israel’s army resumed their massive attacks after Israel and Hamas could not agree on a continuation of the ceasefire.

Demonstrations also in Israel

It was also demonstrated in Israel on Wednesday. Thousands protested the country’s right-religious government and a highly controversial draft law. Around ten thousand Israelis took to the streets in Jerusalem, the Israeli reported the news page “Ynet”. The “Haaretz” newspaper spoke of thousands of participants in a rally in front of the parliament. It was also demonstrated in Tel Aviv.

The organizers of the protests explained that the government “abandoned the hostages, endangered Israel’s security and without batting aggressive and extreme laws with the eyelash” The government had explained the war to the Israeli people, it said in an explanation.

The reason for the new protest was above all a government law. It wants to significantly expand political control over the judge’s process of appointing judges. According to the “Haaretz”, the final vote is expected to be planned today. According to her, the opposition wants to stay away in protest.

Critics in Israel see an attempt to undermine democracy in the law. Opposition politician Benny Gantz is said to have warned Justice Minister Jariv Levin, according to several Israeli media, that the country is “on the sidelines of a civil war”.

In the past few days there had always been protests by government opponents in the country. They also call for an agreement with Hamas, which provides for the release of the hostages that are still captured by Islamists in the Gaza Strip.