Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group based in Gaza, has executed what it says are criminals and traitors from rival clans and groups inside the territory.
Some of these brutal executions were carried out in public, with Hamas sharing footage of the killings on social media. It says some of the individuals committed murder and claims others spied for Israel.
Hamas — which is classified as a terrorist organization by Germany, the US and several other countries — has been keen to reassert control over Gaza mere days after its war with Israel ended.
It still commands some 40,000 fighters, according to Israeli daily Haaretz, who can now be seen reappearing on the streets and squares of Gaza.
Hamas operatives are taking action against Palestinians in Gaza it accuses of capital crimes and political offenses. Dozens of people have also been arrested, according to Khaled Abu Toameh, a journalist working in the Palestinian territories, who spoke with the Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post. “It is assumed that many of them will be executed,” he said.
The Doghmush clan, which has clashed with Hamas for many years, is a well-known group in Gaza. Originally from Turkey, the clan settled in the Gaza Strip over the course of the 20th century, gradually taking control of two districts in the territory.
It is said to be affiliated with the Fatah party and the Palestinian Authority (PA), both of which are led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Doghmush clan members were involved in the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006, according to a report by Arabic news broadcaster Al Jazeera.
The Abu Shabab clan, a Bedouin group based in the south of Gaza, is also involved in a power struggle with Hamas. The Palestinian Islamist group has accused Abu Shabab of collaborating with Israel, a claim the clan has denied. A Times of Israel newspaper report said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has supported Abu Shabab with weapons, and said Netanyahu had confirmed the move.
What’s next for Hamas?
What does the future hold for Hamas in light of these power struggles? The group should be completely disarmed, according to US President Donald Trump’s peace plan; however, this does not look likely for now.
Trump has made contradictory statements about the group’s disarmament. Addressing the Israeli parliament on Monday, Trump proclaimed that “virtually the entire region has endorsed the plan that Gaza will be immediately demilitarized, that Hamas will be disarmed and Israel’s security will no longer be threatened in any way, shape or form.”
Yet before his speech, on the flight to Israel, Trump told reporters his government had allowed Hamas to temporarily rearm itself as it tries to restore order after months of war.
Most recently, however, Trump appeared to double down on the group’s disarmament, saying if Hamas did not lay down its weapons, the US would disarm it by force.
Hamas makes point of showing Gaza presence
Hamas sent a clear message when its armed operatives showed up in Gaza City shortly after the Israeli withdrawal, said Simon Wolfgang Fuchs, a professor of Islam at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Hamas is making a point that it has by no means disappeared from the Gaza Strip; on the contrary, it continues to claim a role there,” he said.
It could be a long road before Hamas is disarmed, according to an analysis by the US Atlantic Council think tank. Its study said that as long as Hamas continues to exist — whether as an armed group, political movement or even just as an idea — there is considerable risk that it will regain influence in the Gaza Strip to assert its own interests.
Hamas sees its weapons as a means to guarantee its existence — militarily, politically and symbolically, said Simon Engelkes, who heads Ramallah’s branch of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
“Without a concrete political quid pro quo, Hamas will probably not agree to disarmament,” Engelkes told DW. “US President Trump’s ‘security guarantees’ that the war in the Gaza Strip will not be continued due to the ceasefire agreement will not be enough at this stage.”
Even though Hamas’ military structures were severely weakened in the war, its networks and presence in Gaza have remained intact, said Engelkes. “This ensures their political viability in the short to medium term.”
Who maintains Gaza’s internal security?
After taking power in Gaza in 2007, Hamas was responsible for the police and internal security as well as the judiciary. It maintained Gaza security until October 7, 2023, the day it attacked Israel, so completely disarming Hamas will likely be difficult.
It remains to be seen who will assume responsibility for Gaza’s internal security in the future. Egypt and Jordan have announced they are training some 5,000 security officers for future deployment in Gaza. Police authorities from the PA may also be involved, according to Trump’s Arab partners.
“It is entirely possible that Israel will veto these local forces,” said Fuchs. This is because the Israeli government does not want the PA to play any role in Gaza at all, he explained. Israel does not want any of these forces to have any connection to the PA government in Ramallah, according to Fuchs. “As such, it is completely unclear how an agreement will be reached on this issue and who should control the security services should be.”
Could Hamas be removed from power?
The US, its regional partners and many other states agree Hamas should no longer be in charge in Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Hamas still poses a threat.
“You don’t smash a terrorist group with thousands of fighters, tunnels and this kind of weaponry overnight,” Macron said after the Hamas-Israel ceasefire was agreed in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt earlier this week.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, declared that his country is willing and ready to help disarm Hamas. The German government, too, is against Hamas continuing to play a political role in Gaza.
The real conflict still lies ahead, said Engelkes. He added that it will center not only on weapons, but also on political control and legitimacy. “Who will speak for Gaza in the future and with what authority?” he asked.
Will Hamas go underground?
Ignoring the interests of Hamas entirely will also be risky, said German foreign intelligence service head Martin Jäger during a recent parliamentary hearing.
There is a “very real risk” Hamas could become active outside of Gaza if it is not involved in the transitional administration of the Palestinian enclave, but pushed out of the territory or underground, Jäger told lawmakers. “This would, of course, affect the entire Arab region, but also Europe.”
All observers agree that the main aim must be to allow Palestinians to live in dignity. If this is not ensured, violence could flare up once again.
This article was originally written in German. It was updated on October 15, 2025, to include additional information.
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