Introduction to the Protests
For the second consecutive day, there have been mass, anti-Hamas demonstrations in Gaza. The videos are all over social media, showing ordinary civilians marching and chanting that they want peace, that Hamas is a terrorist group, and that Hamas should surrender.
Saeed is one of those protesters in Gaza.
The Fear of Speaking Out
“He’s absolutely afraid, all the people are afraid of speaking out against Hamas, but as you see today, things are better than before because people are daring to speak up and a lot of people are speaking up,” said translator Hadeel Oueis from the Center for Peace Communications. “Because Hamas is using the people of Gaza as human shields, as tools to achieve its political goals.”
The Demands of the Protesters
Saeed spoke to us via Zoom, with Oueis translating his remarks and my questions. I asked him if the demonstrators were demanding that Hamas release the hostages, because that would end the war quickly. “They are calling not only for the release of the hostages, but also for Hamas to get out of Gaza as a military group because this the Israelis’ demand that would stop the war, and they are for everything that would stop the war,” Saeed said through Oueis.
Translating the Chants
IDF paratrooper Joe Brikman speaks Arabic. We asked him to translate some of the chanting from the protest videos. “All we want is peace, we want peace,” Brikman described one of the videos. In another video clip, there are thousands of Gazans marching down a street. “It is a lot of people, they’re all screaming the same thing,” Brikman said. “Free Gaza from Hamas.”
A Reservist’s Perspective
Brikman lives in South Florida, but as a reservist, he went back to Israel and served 44 days in Gaza combat. Brikman lost friends and colleagues in the fighting, and knowing that many civilians from Gaza joined the Hamas murder and kidnapping spree on Oct. 7, he’s hopeful but reserving judgment on the anti-Hamas demonstrations. “If you look at everything that’s been happening building up to this, there’s been a lot of support until it’s not cool to support anymore,” Brikman said.
The Reality on the Ground
“Of course, we wish that we go back to Oct. 6, and Oct. 7 wouldn’t have happened at all,” Saeed said through his translator. “But it happened, unfortunately, and although life in Gaza was not easy before Oct. 7 but it was perfectly better than what we are living today.” Brikman said he feels tremendous sympathy for people like Saeed who are stuck in the middle in Gaza. “We have to take a moment and we have to critically analyze exactly what’s happening, I’m hurting, Israel’s hurting, Gaza is hurting, everyone’s hurting, there is no winner in this war,” Brikman said.
A Glimmer of Hope
Saeed told us the people of Gaza feel empowered now, and there’s hope that with enough internal pressure from the demonstrations, Hamas can be toppled.
Conclusion
The protests in Gaza against Hamas mark a significant shift in the dynamics of the conflict. As more people dare to speak out against the militant group, there is a growing sense of hope that a peaceful resolution might be possible. However, the path forward is fraught with challenges, and it remains to be seen whether these protests will lead to meaningful change.
FAQs
- Q: What are the protesters in Gaza demanding?
A: The protesters are demanding the release of hostages and for Hamas to leave Gaza as a military group. - Q: Why are the protesters afraid to speak out against Hamas?
A: The protesters are afraid because Hamas uses the people of Gaza as human shields and tools to achieve its political goals. - Q: What do the chants in the protest videos say?
A: The chants say "All we want is peace, we want peace" and "Free Gaza from Hamas." - Q: How does Joe Brikman feel about the anti-Hamas demonstrations?
A: Brikman is hopeful but reserving judgment, having lost friends and colleagues in the fighting and knowing that many civilians from Gaza joined the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.
