Deadly Combat Erupt Involving Hamas and Palestinian Family Group in Gaza
The southern Gaza city saw one of the fiercest internal clashes since the war began, between Hamas security personnel against gunmen from the al-Mujaida clan - a major families in the southern region.
According to Hamas, its security personnel carried out an operation in the neighborhood to apprehend individuals accused of working with Israel.
Conversely, resident testimonies described an offensive by about 50 men using multiple vehicles, equipped with assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, who invaded the al-Mujaida quarter and eliminated five individuals from the clan.
Family members with weapons immediately retaliated, initiating hours-long clashes with intense gunfire.
Information shared via social media – hard to authenticate – indicate that over eleven Hamas fighters were killed, with several corpses supposedly paraded in the streets.
Recordings broadly distributed online, that haven't been confirmed, seem to depict several bloodied bodies in military fatigues, along with a audio commentary alleging they were members of Hamas's "military division".
Another clip captured sustained shooting and an RPG impacting a housing structure in the district.
Local elders later intervened to negotiate among the opposing groups, resulting in an handover of casualties intended to control the intensification.
Although the exact motives continue to be ambiguous, the confrontation has intensified apprehension among Palestinians.
Many fear that proliferation of arms, friction between major families and Hamas's control over governance could develop into situations similar to domestic warfare in a territory already gripped by population movement, devastation, and anxiety of further lawlessness.
Analysts suggest that the degree of hostility which Hamas faces from its various rivals – whom it has humiliated during its seventeen-year in power – is believed to be a major element driving the organization to reject the peace proposal.
Moreover, there is concern of violent retribution, of being killed in the streets, since the plan requires Hamas to give up all arms.
Indications state that the leader of Hamas's combat unit in Gaza has shown reluctance regarding the proposal, which was unveiled recently.
The proposal includes a deadline for Hamas to comply or confront significant repercussions.
