Overview: Hamas expands its reach as Gaza stabilisation begins
Hamas has begun deploying armed fighters and police across parts of Gaza in what observers describe as an effort to reassert authority in the war‑torn Palestinian territory after the ceasefire deal with Israel last week. Images from the weekend and Monday showed dozens of Hamas fighters at a southern Gaza hospital during the transfer of Israeli hostages, with other reports of shootings and executions in several Gaza locales. The moves come as the region has entered a fragile phase aimed at stabilising an area ravaged by years of conflict.
Implications for the ceasefire and disarmament
The apparent reassertion of control by Hamas raises questions about the cessation of hostilities and, crucially, the disarmament component of the deal brokered with regional authorities. The agreement’s most ill‑defined provision concerns how Hamas would disarm in exchange for a stabilization force and a broader pathway toward governance in Gaza. Analysts warn that fresh violence or punitive actions against rivals could threaten the pause in fighting, even as humanitarian corridors open and aid flows increase.
Rivals and internal friction
Reports indicate clashes between Hamas gunmen and powerful local factions, including a confrontation in Gaza City with a prominent family tied to the territory’s security landscape. Telegram channels linked to Hamas referenced targeting “collaborators and traitors,” a phrasing pointing to Israel‑backed militias that have affected the internal security calculus in Gaza. The weekend violence underscores a broader struggle among armed groups to shape post‑conflict order while the ceasefire holds, albeit tenuously.
International voices and domestic responses
On the U.S. side, President Donald Trump, speaking from Air Force One, suggested Hamas was acting within the ceasefire framework and noted the complexity of rebuilding a city where many buildings had been destroyed. He framed the situation as one where stability is essential for the safety of nearly two million residents living in precarious conditions as aid flows resume and markets respond to new shipments of goods.
Aid, security, and humanitarian challenges
As humanitarian agencies push for much‑needed relief, hundreds of trucks carrying aid and commercial goods entered Gaza. The influx helped push prices lower but did not erase the looming threat of famine in parts of the territory. Aid distribution has long been hampered by security concerns, ongoing combat operations, and Israeli restrictions, complicating relief efforts for agencies on the ground.
Security forces, governance, and the path forward
With Israeli forces withdrawing to new positions and still in control of roughly half of Gaza, the territory remains a patchwork of fragile control. While Hamas has historically exerted influence in central Gaza and the southern enclave, the past two years have seen the erosion of law and order, with armed clans and militias filling gaps left by the collapse of formal governance structures. In this environment, the deployment of uniformed fighters by Hamas to key sites—some bearing insignia of the Izz al‑Din al‑Qassam Brigades—signals a bid to normalize rule within the ceasefire framework, even as many questions about jurisdiction, accountability, and human rights persist.
Security drive against rivals
A Gaza security official described a continuing campaign against rival groups, hinting at a broader sweep to consolidate control. In parallel, leaders of factions aligned with Israel, including a notable militia head in the south, faced threats and alleged punishments that illustrate the volatile security space in the wake of the ceasefire. The Gaza Ministry of Interior, now under Hamas, promised efforts to restore security and explicitly invited those who joined non‑violent groups to surrender and settle their legal status within a defined window, signaling a move to de‑escalate without granting blanket amnesty to those previously involved in violence.
As the first phase of the new agreement progresses, questions remain about how disarmament will occur, who will supervise it, and what escalations might look like if various groups test the boundaries of the ceasefire. The scenario presents a critical test for international efforts to stabilise Gaza, protect civilians, and establish a sustainable governance framework amid a landscape scarred by years of conflict.
Additional reporting by Jamal Risheq in Jerusalem.
