Trump demands Hamas disarm as group takes action against 'allies' in Gaza

 Trump demands Hamas disarm as group takes action against 'allies' in Gaza

US President Donald Trump has threatened to force Hamas to disarm "violently" as the group attempts to re-establish control of the Gaza Strip and targets its "allies."

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said that if Hamas fails to disarm within a "reasonable time," "we will disarm them." He did not specify when he expects the group to surrender its weapons.

Image abc

His comments come as footage showing public executions and other displays of force by Hamas fighters in Gaza has been circulating online since last week's US-brokered ceasefire.

The execution—which BBC Verified reported took place at an intersection in central Gaza City—comes after Hamas promised to crush "lawlessness" in the Strip.

Other verified clips show armed men on patrol wearing identification marks as members of Hamas's Internal Security Force, and masked fighters firing on unarmed people.

Analysts told BBC Verify that the show of force is at least partly aimed at countering armed tribes that have consistently challenged the group's hold on the Strip over the past two years.

Tensions between Hamas and some of its existing factions predate the war. One expert told BBC Verify that some factions—such as the Dughmush tribe—have historically been involved in smuggling across the Strip's Israeli border. Recent clashes between the Dughmush and Hamas have killed more than 50 people, including 12 Hamas members.

Israel has previously stated that it has provided weapons to other armed factions in the Strip. A Hamas internal security unit recently vowed to "eliminate" gangs and militias it accused of collaborating with the "enemy."

A clip emerged on Monday afternoon showing Hamas fighters executing a group of eight people. BBC Verified located the footage at an intersection in the central Zeitun area of ​​Gaza City, which had been the focus of a major Israeli ground offensive in recent weeks but has now returned to Hamas control following the Israeli army's withdrawal.

The footage shows fighters—some of whom were wearing body armor and Hamas headbands—standing in front of a large crowd, including at least one small child.

After forcing the men to kneel, the crowd could be heard shouting "collaborators" or "agents."

The assembled fighters then opened fire on the bound men, who fell to the ground. Following this, the men fired shots into the air and chanted "Long live the al-Qassam Brigades" – the military wing of Hamas.

Another verified video shows masked, armed fighters shooting a man in the leg before forcing him to kneel in the middle of the same Zeitoun Square.

Several other shots were fired, followed by screams, but the footage does not show whether others were struck. Afterward, several armed men are seen guarding the injured man and driving away people who witnessed the incident.

It is unclear what prompted the incident, which first surfaced online on October 10. A Google image search yielded no previous results.

Palestinians who spoke to the BBC expressed fear of public executions.

A lawyer living in Gaza said, "Why are people supporting anarchy? A masked man kills another masked man without any evidence, without an investigation, without a court, without even a waiting period for an appeal. What do we call that? Resistance? No, it's anarchy."

An activist living in the central Gaza Strip said, "You can't fix one mistake with another. Executing without a fair trial is a crime. May God guide our people."

Meanwhile, members of Hamas's Internal Security Forces have also been deployed in Gaza City as part of a show of force by the group.

In several photos obtained by BBC Verify, two such fighters wearing the insignia of Internal Security Units and armed with rifles can be seen stationed at a Gaza City intersection.

In other displays of force, armed men armed with assault rifles were seen marching through a market in the Zeitoun area, followed by a small group waving Palestinian flags.

Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, told the BBC's Today programme, "I think Hamas is trying to consolidate its forces, using its Interior Ministry forces, to strengthen its control."

He added, "In the areas Hamas controls, Hamas will be able to destroy various tribes, gangs, bandits, and militias because its forces are more experienced, more skilled, and more determined."

Analysts say that although Hamas has long-standing rivalries with various armed groups in the Strip, Israel's bombing of Gaza and Hamas's weakening grip on power have allowed some factions to gain strength.

Yaniv Voler, a senior lecturer in Middle East politics at the University of Kent, told BBC Verify, "The collapse of other social institutions has increased the popularity of this clan, which can serve as a social network for its members."

He added, "At least some clans are reported to be receiving weapons and other support from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to act as proxies against Hamas."

Some militias are also active in IDF-controlled areas. By analyzing videos circulating on social media, BBC Verify identified bases used by two rival groups within IDF-controlled territory, one near the southern city of Rafah and the other near the northern city of Beit Hanun.

In response to Hamas's resurgence and the role of its security forces in policing, Trump had previously stated that it was not excluded from the peace agreement.

He told reporters on Monday, "[Hamas] wants to stop the problems and they've talked openly about it, and we've given them permission for a while."

"About two million people are going back into buildings that have been demolished, and a lot of bad things could happen. So we want it to be safe."

Professor Gerges said that if the ceasefire is to have any meaningful impact, the US and its allies have no choice but to allow Hamas to project its power in Gaza.

"Without security, you can't deliver aid. Without security, you can't really live," he said. "The Americans know that the only power is Hamas, and that's the irony."