Hamas has taken power in Gaza after a 15-month war

On the morning the Gaza ceasefire came into effect, masked members of Hamas’ military wing drove through the streets of Gaza in clean, white buses carrying Hamas flags. and automatic rifles.

The militants also sent an ambiguous message: Although weakened, Hamas has survived a 15-month bombing campaign in Gaza and remains the most powerful Palestinian party in the territory.

Since the cease-fire began on Sunday, Hamas has worked overtime to show that it still controls Gaza, even as it has killed thousands of its members and destroyed tunnels and weapons factories. Hamas in revenge for the cross on October 7, 2023. -a border attack that killed about 1,200 people.

During the war, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eliminate Hamas, but he did not offer a plan for a realistic way to take control of Gaza, leaving a vacuum to be filled by the armed group. .

Even for many residents of Gaza, the swift arrival of the fighters, some wearing official uniforms, was a surprise.

“They came out of hiding with one finger,” said Mohammed, 24, who asked that his name be withheld to avoid a possible response from Hamas. “We don’t know where these people were during the war.”

Later in the first day of the ceasefire, dozens of Hamas militants arrived in Saraya Square in Gaza City to hand three hostages to the Red Cross for their release. of Israel, the first of 33 released under the agreement. The appearance of the militants does not mean that they are on their last legs: they seem to wear clean uniforms, look good and drive decent cars.

It is not clear how many fighters, police, bureaucrats and political leaders survived the fighting or where the militants are hiding. But by showing the concession in such a public way, Hamas made it clear that it is still standing in an area of ​​Gaza that has seen some of the most devastating bombings of the war.

“We’re talking about an area that the Israelis basically plowed,” said Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor from Gaza City who is now a visiting scholar at Northwestern University.

Israeli officials say they stand by their goal of destroying Hamas’ military and government wings, suggesting they can resume fighting once the remaining 30 of the 100 hostages are freed. will be held in Gaza in the coming weeks.

Despite the show of force, Hamas may hope to ease the burden of day-to-day administration and reconstruction in Gaza, but wants future arrangements for the territory to allow it to be highest security authority, and therefore the main decision-maker, Ghaith al-Omari, an expert on Palestinian affairs. Hamas may have to mediate to allow enough aid to enter Gaza for reconstruction.

Since the ceasefire, the Hamas government has tried to restore order, sending police officers to the streets, directing traffic, protecting aid trucks and providing law and order, residents said.

On Monday in Gaza City, the top official of the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, General Mahmoud Abu Watfa, walked around the city center in plain clothes as he took pictures of the security forces. armed internal security took part in the procession of Gaza journalists.

“The picture is clear,” General Abu Watfa told reporters. “Those who monitor security, protect citizens and protect the interior are the forces of the Ministry of the Interior.”

The challenge is still evident. An official in Hamas’ internal security service, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss employment matters, noted that many security personnel in Gaza City are using tape recorders instead of computers, and some report that they will be working in a bombed-out headquarters because Israel has destroyed almost all of the city’s police vehicles.

Gaza City’s bomb disposal unit, officials said, is struggling to remove unexploded ordnance.

“Hamas is weaker than it was on October 7,” said Michael Milshtein, a former military intelligence analyst specializing in Palestinian affairs. “But it is clear that they can establish their sovereignty anywhere in Gaza.”

Gaza’s municipalities, which work closely with the Hamas government, have sent workers to clear rubble, remove piles of debris and survey infrastructure damage. In Rafah, the municipal council held a meeting in a tent with official flags, tables and chairs, according to a post shared on social media.

In an interview, Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, insisted that Israel had failed to destroy Hamas. “They tried to uproot these people but they didn’t succeed,” he said. “For 470 days they stood firmly on the ground.”

Hamas, analysts say, has tried to make clear with its recent actions that it must play an important role in discussions about “the next day”, referring to the future administration of Gaza.

“Their message to everyone is, ‘You can’t exclude us the next day,'” said Mr. al-Omari, an expert on Palestinian affairs.

Hamas leaders have indeed expressed a willingness to abandon civilian administration in Gaza, but have not disbanded their military wing — a move that would resemble Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon before its latest war with Israel.

The United States has said that a “reformed” Palestinian Authority, which has limited autonomy to run the Israeli-occupied West Bank, should take over Gaza, but Mr. Netanyahu rejected the idea. Power controlled Gaza until 2007, when Hamas took over in a coup after winning a majority in parliamentary elections.

On Sunday, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, told reporters that the Hamas regime poses a threat to Israel’s security and stressed that it has not accepted a ceasefire agreement. Israel is permanently allowing Hamas to control Gaza.

While some analysts say Israel may eventually remove Hamas from power, others say it will struggle to continue fighting in the face of international pressure. And even then, these analysts say, the Israeli military will face a huge challenge in eradicating Hamas from Gaza without an outright occupation.

In Gaza, supporters of Hamas said they were reassured by its show of force this week. But many people who are neutral to the group worry that if they stay in power, they will face a harsh regime and another war sooner or later.

“It may take time for Hamas to reach a point where it will provoke Israel into another major war,” said Alaa, 28, who has taken refuge in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. and his name was withheld to prevent retaliation. .

“As long as it is in power, it will only be for a short time,” he added. “It’s hard to come to any conclusion other than there’s no future here.”