On Tuesday, Hamas fighters solidified their control over Gaza by conducting public executions, directly opposing Israel’s stance that the conflict cannot conclude under President Donald Trump’s plan until the militants are disarmed.
Demonstrating their re-emergence, Hamas fighters executed individuals they accused of collaborating with Israeli forces. A video circulated on Monday night shows Hamas fighters dragging seven men into a circle of people in Gaza City, forcing them to kneel, and shooting them from behind. A Hamas source verified the video’s authenticity.
Stay informed with the latest updates. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Below is a video from Reuters.
Gaza residents reported an increased presence of fighters on Tuesday, positioned along essential aid delivery routes. Palestinian security sources noted that recent days have seen dozens killed in clashes between Hamas fighters and their rivals.
While Israeli troops withdrew from Gaza’s urban areas under last week’s ceasefire, drone attacks killed five people checking their homes in a suburb east of Gaza City, and an airstrike killed one person and injured another near Khan Younis, according to Gaza health authorities.
Hamas accused Israel of ceasefire violations. The Israeli military claimed it targeted individuals who crossed truce lines and approached its forces after ignoring warnings.
Trump declares ‘historic dawn,’ but challenges persist
The resurgence of Hamas in Gaza and ongoing violence highlight substantial obstacles in progressing Trump’s ceasefire plan toward a lasting resolution.
Although Trump declared the “historic dawn of a new Middle East” to Israel’s parliament on Monday, key components of his plan remain unresolved, issues that have derailed previous peace efforts.
Israeli forces maintain a strong presence across Gaza, despite partial withdrawals, and promised increases in aid have yet to materialize for the 2.2 million residents, many facing starvation.
A summit co-hosted by Trump in Egypt on Monday concluded without significant announcements regarding an international military force for Gaza or a new governing body. The remains of at least 23 hostages remain in Gaza.
Hamas reasserts control
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently argued that the war cannot end until Hamas disarms and relinquishes control over Gaza—a demand Hamas rejects, hindering previous peace processes.
During the January-March ceasefire, Hamas fighters’ presence on the streets led Israel to abandon the truce and halt negotiations. However, Trump announced on Monday that the war is over and Hamas has temporary permission to maintain order.
“They want to stop the problems, have been transparent about it, and we granted them approval for a limited time,” he stated.
Hamas sources told Reuters on Tuesday that they will no longer tolerate disruptions in Gaza, targeting collaborators, armed looters, and drug dealers.
Despite being severely weakened by two years of Israeli bombardment and ground incursions, Hamas is gradually regaining its foothold, with fighters returning to the streets since the ceasefire began over the weekend.
The group, governing Gaza since 2007, has also deployed hundreds of workers to clear rubble from key routes needed for accessing damaged or destroyed homes and repairing broken water pipes.
Road clearance and security are vital for increased aid delivery. Hamas stated that hundreds of policemen were killed by Israel while safeguarding aid routes during the conflict. Israel claimed it targeted Hamas fighters.
Aid and hostages
The ceasefire has halted two years of brutal warfare in Gaza, triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack in which Hamas-led gunmen killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza resulted in nearly 68,000 deaths according to local health authorities, with many feared buried under rubble. Gaza’s Civil Defence Service reported recovering 250 bodies since the truce began.
Vast areas of Gaza lie in ruins, and global hunger monitors declared a famine in the territory in August. A Reuters video on Tuesday showed people clearing debris and an aid truck moving through a market, guarded by armed men.
UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram stated that while aid, including tents, tarpaulins, winter clothing, and hygiene kits, is entering Gaza, she hopes for a significant increase later this week.
In Israel, after Monday’s celebration of the release of the last 20 living hostages, families of those declared dead await Israeli authorities’ information on their loved ones’ fates.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military reported identifying four hostages’ bodies handed over by Hamas the previous day, including a Nepalese student. This leaves 23 hostages in Gaza declared dead, with one individual’s fate undetermined.
Some families fear the remains of their loved ones will be lost forever in Gaza’s rubble. An international task force aims to locate bodies that Hamas cannot find.
