Hundreds stage protest against war in Gaza Strip

'It was a spontaneous rally against the war because people are tired and they have no place to go,' says one witness

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Hundreds of Palestinians have protested in northern Gaza to demand an end to war and chanting "Hamas out," social media posts showed, in a rare public show of opposition to the group that sparked the latest war with its October 7, 2023 raid on Israel.

Northern Gaza has been one of the most devastated areas of Gaza. Most buildings in the densely populated area have been reduced to rubble and much of the population has moved several times to escape the conflict.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to say the protest showed Israel’s decision to renew its offensive was working in Gaza, where Hamas police - the group’s enforcers - have once again disappeared after emerging during a ceasefire.

“Out, out, out, Hamas get out,” chanted those seen in one of the posts published on X, apparently from the Beit Lahiya region of Gaza, on Tuesday. It showed people walking down a dusty street between war-damaged buildings.

“It was a spontaneous rally against the war because people are tired and they have no place to go,” said one witness, who spoke on condition that his name not be used for fear of retribution.