Hamas recalls 7,000 fighters to reassert control over Gaza amid fears of renewed internal violencepublished at 13:48 BST
Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent, in Istanbul
Hamas has recalled about 7,000 members of its security forces to reassert control over areas of Gaza recently vacated by Israeli troops, appointing five new governors all with military backgrounds, some of whom previously commanded brigades in its armed wing to oversee operations, according to local sources.
The mobilisation order was reportedly issued via phone calls and text messages that read: “We declare a general mobilisation in response to the call of national and religious duty, to cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel. You must report within 24 hours to your designated locations using your official codes.”
Reports from Gaza suggest that armed Hamas units have already deployed across several districts, some wearing civilian clothes and others in the blue uniforms of the Gaza police.
The Hamas mobilisation had been widely anticipated amid growing uncertainty about who will govern Gaza once the war ends, a key issue that could complicate the start of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan, which calls for Hamas to disarm.
A Hamas official abroad declined to comment directly on reports of the security deployment but told the BBC: “We cannot leave Gaza at the mercy of thieves and militias backed by the Israeli occupation. Our weapons are legitimate, they exist to resist occupation and they will remain as long as the occupation continues.”
A retired Palestinian security officer who served for years with the Palestinian Authority in Gaza said he feared the territory was sliding towards another round of internal bloodshed.
“Hamas hasn’t changed. It still believes that weapons and violence are the only means to keep its movement alive,” he told the BBC.
These developments since the ceasefire have sparked deep concern among Gazans already worn down by two years of devastating conflict.
