WP: Hamas reasserts control in Gaza, turning guns on rival clans

Hamas has launched a violent campaign to reassert control over Gaza, executing rivals and dismantling armed clans that had challenged its rule during the two-year war with Israel, as noted by The Washington Post (WP).

The crackdown follows a ceasefire brokered under President Donald Trump’s peace initiative and signals that Hamas remains the dominant authority in the enclave.

According to witnesses and analysts, Hamas gunmen executed eight men accused of collaborating with Israel in Gaza City and deployed armed units to hunt down rival groups such as the Astal militia and the Mujaida clan. “Hamas could manoeuvre on this issue and say, ‘We are present, we are indispensable for imposing control,’” said Gaza-based analyst Mustafa Ibrahim.

The group’s actions carry major implications for Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which envisions Hamas disarming and relinquishing power in Gaza. However, the plan lacks specifics, and Hamas is expected to negotiate hard. Trump appeared unconcerned about the violence, telling reporters, “They did take out a couple of gangs that were very bad … They did take them out and they killed a number of gang members. And that didn’t bother me much, to be honest with you.”

Hamas has framed its operations as law enforcement against criminals and collaborators. Videos circulated on social media showed its fighters directing traffic and appointing new governors to administer Gaza’s shattered cities. “Our merciful hand is extended to anyone who repents,” Hamas’s Radea security forces said in a statement.

Clan leaders say Hamas’s campaign has been carried out with “methodical efficiency.” The Mujaida family, long associated with Fatah, reported a major assault on its stronghold in Khan Younis involving around 100 Hamas fighters. Israeli drone footage later confirmed the battle. Documents recovered from dead Hamas fighters revealed detailed operational planning for the attack.

The newly formed “Sahem” unit — comprising intelligence and enforcement personnel — has reportedly been responsible for targeting armed groups accused of looting or collaborating with Israel. Hamas denies targeting civilians but has publicly executed suspected traitors.

Analysts warn the ongoing violence risks escalating into civil war. “How many families have received threats from Hamas? Now these families are demanding weapons to defend themselves,” said Tawfik Tirawi, a former Palestinian Authority intelligence chief.

Clashes have been most intense against the Doghmush and Mujaida clans in Gaza City and Khan Younis, but Hamas is expected to move next against southern militias, including forces led by Abu Shabab, which claim to have received Israeli arms. “We are the strongest militia in Gaza,” said Abu Shabab commander Yusef Mazen. “They are scared of us. We’re not scared of them.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev