A Gaza family’s open admission this week that they killed an officer from the Hamas-run police force after they said a relative was shot dead has added to signs of popular dissent against the group after 18 months of conflict with Israel, Reuters reports.
It drew a warning from the interior ministry of the enclave governed by Hamas that actions that undermined public order would not be tolerated.
Hundreds of Palestinians also rallied in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, chanting “Hamas out” and “Enough death” in renewed protests against the faction.
Residents were angered by new Israeli military evacuation orders, which the military said followed rocket salvoes by fighters from the area.
They may have been emboldened to take the streets by a sharply reduced presence of Hamas police and security forces in the past weeks since Israel’s large-scale attacks have resumed, Reuters added.