Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In the aftermath of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the Hamas movement has launched a sweeping and violent security campaign that has left at least 32 people dead, in what observers see as an effort to reassert its waning authority in the devastated coastal enclave. The campaign, targeting what Hamas described as criminal groups and collaborators, comes amid growing concerns about internal unrest and efforts by international actors to shape a post-war political order in the territory.
According to security sources in Gaza, Hamas began redeploying its forces across the Strip shortly after the ceasefire took effect on Friday. The group, which has suffered significant losses during the war, is proceeding cautiously, wary of a sudden collapse of the truce. Armed members of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, were visibly present across several areas of Gaza, including during the recent transfer of surviving hostages captured two years ago a moment laden with symbolism as the group seeks to reaffirm its grip.
The crackdown has been severe. A senior security official in Gaza confirmed that Hamas forces had killed 32 individuals from a clan described as a criminal network operating in Gaza City. Six Hamas fighters were also reportedly killed in the confrontations. These killings appear to be part of a broader effort to root out perceived internal threats, especially from factions accused of collaborating with Israel during the war.
A particularly disturbing incident surfaced Monday when a graphic video circulated on social media showed masked gunmen some wearing green headbands similar to those of Hamas executing at least seven kneeling men with automatic gunfire in a public street. Civilian voices in the background cheered, chanting “Allahu Akbar” and referring to the victims as traitors. Though the video was purportedly recorded in Gaza, its authenticity and exact timing remain unverified. Hamas has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the footage.
This latest wave of killings follows earlier executions carried out by Hamas in September, when three men accused of spying for Israel were publicly executed, also in footage that was widely shared online. The same security source claimed that a separate clash resulted in the killing of “one of the most dangerous criminal collaborators,” described as the right-hand man of alleged Israeli agent Yasser Abu Shabab. The official vowed that Abu Shabab himself would soon be targeted.
Abu Shabab has not responded to the allegations, and the reported death of his associate has not been independently confirmed.
The actions by Hamas are seen by some analysts as a deliberate show of strength. With its political legitimacy weakened and questions looming about who will govern Gaza in the wake of the war, Hamas appears determined to demonstrate that it remains the dominant force militarily and politically on the ground.
“There’s a message here to both enemies and potential rivals: Hamas still controls Gaza,” said a regional analyst familiar with the situation.
The campaign also comes as whispers circulate of a possible temporary security arrangement involving Hamas, something that has reportedly received tacit U.S. acknowledgment, despite Washington’s official position that any long-term governance of Gaza must not include the group unless it disarms. The presence of Qassam fighters at sensitive operations, such as hostage transfers, only underscores Hamas’s intent to remain deeply embedded in Gaza’s future.
However, dissent within Gaza is growing. In a video message released Sunday, anti-Hamas activist Hussam Al-Astal speaking from Khan Younis, in an area under Israeli control issued a fierce condemnation of the group. He predicted that Hamas’s rule would collapse the moment it completed its obligations under the ceasefire, including the release of remaining captives.
For now, though, Hamas’s brutal campaign has reasserted its immediate control over the Strip. Whether that control translates into a long-term political role remains to be seen, particularly as regional and international actors weigh options for post-war governance most of which exclude any future role for Hamas in Gaza’s civil or security structures.
As the dust settles on a devastated Gaza, the struggle over who will shape its future is far from over and Hamas appears unwilling to relinquish the battlefield, either in war or in peace.
