Have Gazans Had Enough of Hamas?

Can the Civilians in Gaza Be A Game-Changer?

Can miracles continue in the Middle East?

It appears, if only temporarily, that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are publicly turning against Hamas. This potentially can be a huge game changer. But for now, only potentially.

The question is how brutally will Hamas clamp down on the protesters and how quickly?

While sweeping changes seem to be occurring throughout the Middle East, few may be as profound as the emergence of an independent political movement opposing Hamas.

Earlier this week hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets across northern Gaza, marking a rare instance of civilian public protest against the ruthless Hamas.

The demonstrations began in Beit Lahiya and spread to the Jabaliya refugee camp.

A Palestinian group calling itself the “State of Palestine Families and Clans of the Southern Governorates” released a statement urging a future mass “march of anger” to protest what it describes as years of oppression and misrule by Hamas,” according to the Jerusalem Post.

The statement said Gazans must end their silence about the brutality, starvation and oppression by Hamas. “Steadfast people of Gaza, enough is enough. There is no longer room for silence or waiting after years of oppression, starvation, and destruction.”

Gaza is still governed by clans, which once were completely subservient to Hamas. Today, perhaps, that’s changing.

The Southern Governates clan demanded that Hamas “lift its hand from Gaza immediately and end the unjust siege imposed on us through decisions that do not represent our will.”

There was yet another statement, issued by a group called “the clans and people of Shuja’iyya.” They called for mass protests at Shuja’iyya Roundabout. “O, our free people in Gaza, O, our steadfast people of Shuja’iyya, enough has to be said—silence is no longer an option in the face of destruction, starvation, siege, and the ongoing killing we are suffering,” the group passionately stated.

The protesters are being led by Palestinian intellectuals and journalists, the Post reports, adding this is “an unusual development in a tightly-controlled enclave where critics have often been jailed or attacked. Since taking control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, Hamas has ruled with an iron grip, violently dispersing previous protests and suppressing dissent.”

Exiled Gazan anti-Hamas blogger, Hamza al-Masri quickly became one of the main sources of distributing videos showing the demonstrations.

Al-Masri published a video containing his “will” after receiving numerous threats on his life from Hamas.

“I am very happy that I helped convey the true voice of the people,” he said. “For 18 years, Gaza was forbidden to speak, and finally you see Gaza speaking, without any masks. This is a victory, and I am happy. I would do it again.

Oded Eilam, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs and former head of the Counter-Terrorism Division in the Mossad told Israel National News, that the protest “is the beginning of a recognition that the current situation is a dead end.”

He told the news service “Hamas has an internal unit for oppression, like the Gestapo of Nazi Germany, which aims to deal with collaborators, political opponents, looters, and even demonstrators.”

"The elimination of key (Hamas) figures impacts the hesitation of the simple civilian. The more he sees the Hamas leadership falling apart, the easier it will be for him to overcome the fear and join the protests.”

This story is still unfolding. Let’s see where it leads.