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Hussam al-Astal, a prominent anti-Hamas figure in Khan Younis, took to social media to mock the group’s future, saying that after turning over Israeli hostages, Hamas would have no role left in Gaza. His taunt highlights the crumbling grip Hamas once held over the region.
Fox News reported that the footage of the executions is being used as a direct message of intimidation. With Hamas fighters emerging from hiding, the group appears determined to use fear tactics to reestablish authority over a weary and divided population.
An Israeli official did not mince words, calling the executions “Hamas’s deliberate attempt to show the killing publicly and reestablish its rule by terrorizing civilians.” The statement reflects growing concern that Hamas is setting the stage for a violent power struggle inside the territory.
Political analyst Mukhaimar Abu Saada told reporters that this internal chaos isn’t going away soon. “We’re talking about an ideological organization. Even last night, people were killed in clashes between Hamas and local militias. It’s not a rosy road,” he said.
“They’re still strong,” Abu Saada continued. “Part of the reason they didn’t fight harder in the last days is that they saved some men and weapons for the day after. I still see Hamas police in the streets of Gaza.”
He added that “no question Hamas will have to disarm one way or another” as part of a broader plan shaped during President Donald Trump’s leadership. “No Arab country will give a single dollar if Hamas doesn’t disarm. Rebuilding Gaza depends on Hamas no longer being in control. The war is over, but the real test is only beginning,” he said.
A local Gaza resident echoed those fears, telling Fox News that the battle for power is far from over. “You cannot say the war is finished,” he said. “We have to wait a few weeks to see what happens. There are gangs in Gaza now; Hamas is trying to fight them. If they don’t unify, another war could start.”
“Hamas is not strong like before. Those who remain are mostly police — not the real Hamas people who believe in their extremist jihadist ideology,” the man added. “We have to watch what happens next and see if they rebuild.”
For ordinary Gazans, uncertainty rules the day. “No one knows what is happening — who will rule, what will happen with Hamas, and if the war is truly over,” another Gaza City resident said. “We hope for a better future. I just want me and my family to live without targeting, without bloodshed.”
“People just want the blood to stop. They want to stop losing their relatives and friends… It’s in their hands now — if they will allow Hamas to continue or finally rise up. But nothing is clear,” he said.
Jacob Olidort, director of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, said Hamas is facing unprecedented isolation. “Hamas is in the most militarily and diplomatically isolated place it has ever been,” he explained. “Even before and after the release of hostages, Hamas has been defiant in tone. But all of that will be overshadowed by the vast expansion of peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors. All of Israel’s regional partners are eager to normalize and build on where they left off prior to Oct 7.”
Hamas may have survived the war with Israel — but its fight to hold Gaza is just beginning. For many Gazans, the question now isn’t whether Hamas will rule, but whether they’ll finally be free of it.
