Hamas Intensifies Security Measures Amid Rising Internal Strife in Gaza

Sun Oct 12 2025 19:02:09 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As tensions within Gaza escalate after violent incidents involving the powerful Dughmush clan, Hamas mobilizes its security forces to assert control over areas recently vacated by Israeli troops, raising fears of internal conflict.

Following violent clashes that resulted in the deaths of two Hamas members at the hands of the Dughmush clan, Hamas has called back 7,000 of its security personnel to prevent further unrest within Gaza. Tensions have been exacerbated by the power vacuum created by Israeli troop withdrawals, leading to violence and potential civil war as Hamas seeks to maintain its control over the territory.

Hamas has recalled about 7,000 members of its security forces to reassert control over areas of Gaza recently vacated by Israeli troops, according to local sources.

The Palestinian group also appointed five new governors all with military backgrounds, some of whom previously commanded brigades in its armed wing.

The mobilisation order was reportedly issued via phone calls and text messages indicating the aim was to 'cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel,' instructing fighters to report within 24 hours.

Reports from Gaza suggest that armed Hamas units have already deployed across several districts, some in civilian clothes and others in the blue uniforms of the Gaza police.

Tensions escalated sharply following the deadly shooting of two members of Hamas's elite forces by gunmen from the Dughmush clan in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood. One of the deceased was the son of a senior commander in Hamas's military intelligence, raising the stakes for an armed response.

Hamas members surrounded regions believed to be under Dughmush control, leading to the reported killing of one clan member and the abduction of approximately 30 others. The situation poses a significant threat of internal strife and potential civil war.

The ongoing tensions have prompted fears of widespread violence in Gaza, as frustration mounts among armed groups and the population grapples with the aftermath of a protracted conflict.