Fatal Combat Ignite Between the Hamas movement and Gaza-based Family Group in Gaza
Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza experienced one of the fiercest domestic fighting since hostilities commenced, between Hamas security forces against armed members from the al-Mujaida family - a major families in the southern region.
Per Hamas officials, its security personnel conducted a raid in the district to apprehend people suspected of cooperating with Israeli authorities.
However, local accounts detailed an attack by about 50 men riding in five pickup trucks, armed with automatic weapons and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, who stormed the al-Mujaida quarter and fatally shot five individuals from the family.
Clan fighters immediately retaliated, initiating hours-long gun battles with heavy exchanges of fire.
Information spreading through online platforms – challenging to confirm – indicate that more than 11 Hamas personnel were killed, with some of their bodies supposedly paraded in the streets.
Videos extensively circulated online, that haven't been confirmed, appear to show numerous wounded bodies in combat uniforms, accompanied by a narration stating they belonged to Hamas's "Sahm Unit".
Separate video captured bursts of gunfire and a rocket-propelled grenade impacting a residential building in the area.
Community leaders later intervened to facilitate talks among the conflicting parties, resulting in an handover of casualties aimed at contain the escalation.
While the exact motives continue to be ambiguous, the clash has intensified concern among Palestinians.
A significant number fear that abundance of firearms, tensions between major families and Hamas's control over governance could develop into scenes resembling civil war in a territory already gripped by population movement, damage, and anxiety of additional disorder.
Analysts propose that the level of anger which Hamas encounters from its numerous adversaries – whom it has humiliated during its seventeen-year governance – is believed to be a key factor driving the movement to reject the truce agreement.
Moreover, there is fear of bloody revenge, of being killed in the streets, since the agreement demands Hamas to completely disarm.
Indications indicate that the commander of Hamas's armed division in Gaza has shown reluctance regarding the proposal, which was unveiled recently.
The ceasefire plan includes a time limit for Hamas to comply or encounter serious outcomes.
