The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic spokesperson shared a video Wednesday purporting to show Gazans urging Hamas release its hostages.
IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee tweeted in Arabic this was a “spontaneous demonstration” in the Gaza Strip of people “demanding that you [Hamas] return the kidnapped Israelis to their homes so that the war stops.”
“Will these cries and demands reach the hideouts of Hamas leaders?” Adraee asked. (RELATED: Protester Doesn’t Seem To Know What His Sign Means)
قادة #دواعش_حماس وفي مقدمتهم السنوار، استمعوا إلى صرخات شعبكم أطفالكم ونسائكم الذين خرجوا في هذه التظاهرة العفوية داخل مستشفى شهداء الأقصى بدير البلح ويعبرون عن سخطهم من الوضع الذي دفعتم غزة اليه ويطالبونكم بإعادة المختطفين الإسرائيليين إلى ديارهم لتتوقف الحرب. هل ستصل هذه… pic.twitter.com/u7Ewugab18
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) January 24, 2024
The location of the protest was alleged to have been near the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the city of Dir al-Balah, i24 reported. The video shows several men, women and children loudly chanting slogans in Arabic.
“A message written on a poster says ‘yes to handing over the hostages.’ Protestors are also saying they want to go back to the north (Gaza),” Joe Truzman, a Foundation for Defense of Democracies senior research analyst on Palestinian armed groups, tweeted.
Palestinians protested in Deir al-Balah, calling on Hamas to release Israeli hostages and end the war. A message written on a poster says “yes to handing over the hostages.” Protestors are also saying they want to go back to the north (Gaza). pic.twitter.com/w8mOMsNTT5
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) January 24, 2024
Anti-Hamas protests in the Gaza Strip are rare, but they do occasionally happen. One such incident occurred in July 2023 when thousands took to the streets expressing discontent with Hamas rule and the difficult living standards conditions in Gaza, The Associated Press (AP) reported.