Hamas Asserts Authority in Gaza Amid Ceasefire Deal Uncertainty

Strategic Insights -

As the international community considers a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant Islamist group has begun a campaign to assert its authority over the Gaza Strip, marking a significant shift in its priorities. With Israel's military withdrawal and the collapse of rule of law in Gaza, Hamas has seized the opportunity to fill the power vacuum, using its armed police units to hunt down looters, gangs, and critics. While this violent campaign may appall some, it has also won the support of many Palestinians desperate for stability in a devastated territory.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hamas has shifted its priorities from relinquishing weapons to asserting its authority over Gaza, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the collapse of rule of law.
  • The militant group has used its armed police units to hunt down looters, gangs, and critics, exercising a form of "rough justice" that has won the support of some Palestinians.
  • The campaign has resulted in skirmishes, shootings, and public executions, which Hamas believes will deter enemies, rivals, and ordinary criminals.
  • Despite Israeli efforts to promote armed gangs as a counterweight to Hamas, the result has been a power vacuum that Hamas has filled.
  • The US, under the Trump plan, seeks to exclude Hamas from future governance of Palestinian territories, but the group may surrender its heavy arms while retaining control over Gaza.
  • The transition to a Palestinian Authority-led government remains uncertain, and Hamas is likely to remain the "de facto authority" in Gaza for the foreseeable future.

Statistics:

  • 47% of Gaza is under Hamas control, with a population of 2.3 million people confined within this territory.
  • 20-point "plan for peace" proposed by the Trump administration aims to establish a transitional administration in Gaza under international oversight.
  • Hamas has deployed force effectively, getting violence under control in the Gaza Strip.
  • The rotary of a transitional administration with international oversight is uncertain.

Sources:

  • Jason Burke, International security correspondent, The Guardian (no date mentioned)