Anti-Hamas protests in Gaza: Harbinger of change or nothingburger?

With protests against Hamas entering their second day today (Wednesday), Kann reporter Roi Kais says that they may be a harbinger of change in the Gaza Strip at some point, but that the protests are presently too small for that.

During a broadcast of Kann News, Kais said that anti-Hamas protests did appear here and there during the war in Gaza before, usually on a small and fleeting scale.

On the other hand, there are two differences: the protests occurring now have endured for more than one day. Furthermore, they are not localized and have been taking place both in the north and center of the Gaza Strip. Another unusual feature of these protests is the attack against pro-Hamas media outlets which omit or play down the protests.

Nevertheless, Kais noted that the protests have not reached the dimensions that could be called a "critical mass," which could lead to political change in the Gaza Strip, which is still ruled by Hamas.

Protestors against Hamas are calling for the terrorist group to leave due to the awful state of public services and infrastructure. Gazans have been filmed complaining about the garbage piling up in the streets and the inability to live in what's left of the Gaza Strip after over a year of war.

The state of the Gaza Strip is part of what has led President Donald Trump to promote a plan to encourage the displaced Gazan population to move out to other countries - "beautiful homes" as he put it - an effort condemned by Arab states led by Egypt, which have tried to promote their own plans for rebuilding the Strip without letting anyone leave.