’These Suspicious Individuals’: Hamas and Allied Groups Threaten Gaza Protestors

Latest Developments

• Gaza Protests Enter Third Day, Terror Groups Issue Threat: Gazan protestors took to the streets on March 27 for the third consecutive day to express their anger at Hamas for continuing its war with Israel. Demonstrators chanted slogans including “Out, out Hamas.” Hamas official Osama Hamdan accused the protestors of being orchestrated by Israel, while a statement issued by the “Factions of Resistance,” — an umbrella group of terrorist organizations including Hamas — threatened to punish their leaders. The statement alleged that the protesters “persist in blaming the resistance and absolving the occupation, ignoring that the Zionist extermination machine operates nonstop,” emphasizing that “these suspicious individuals are as responsible as the occupation for the bloodshed of our people and will be treated accordingly.”
• Hamas Spokesperson Eliminated: Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanoua was killed by an IDF airstrike in Jabalia on March 26. Al-Qanoua joined Hamas in 2000 during the wave of Palestinian terror attacks known as the Second Intifada, becoming an official spokesperson for the organization in 2016. He made several Arabic-language media appearances throughout the duration of the January 19 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and was part of the Iran-backed terrorist organization’s political bureau.
• Israel Targeting Hamas Political Wing: Al-Qanoua was the 11th member of Hamas’s 20-member political bureau to be killed by Israel since the beginning of the war. The IDF confirmed the elimination of Hamas finance chief Ismail Barhoum on March 24 and strategist Salah al-Bardawil on March 22, both of whom were also members of the political bureau.

FDD Expert Response

“Hamas’s attempt to smear Gazan protesters as serving Israel is a textbook authoritarian tactic — delegitimize dissent by branding it as treason. But this uprising is neither foreign nor fabricated. Gazans have criticized Hamas’s rule from the start, yet for the first time, they are openly demanding its removal. Hamas knows it’s losing control; the very people it once hid behind as human shields are now rejecting it outright.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

“Protests in Gaza have entered their third day, with Palestinians directing most of their anger toward Hamas. Notably, protestors have singled out senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan for his comments disparaging the concerns of Gazan demonstrators. What is occurring in Gaza right now is notable, and Hamas may find itself in a dangerous position if protests continue to gather popularity and support.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Hamas’s military and political branch are one and the same. Israel’s elimination of al-Qanoua is a reminder to the leaders in Gaza and abroad that until and unless the hostages come home, they are legitimate targets for the IDF.”